(idea) by Loinen Sun Nov 25 2001 at 20:42:05
  • about 3800 BC - running competitions are organized in Egypt
  • 490 BC - a messenger named Feidippides runs about 40 kilometers from Marathon to Athens and dies
  • 1896 - first modern Olympics in Athens
  • 1912 - 15 minutes is broken in 5000m: Hannes Kolehmainen improves the record by 25 seconds. The new record stands: 14.36.6
  • 1920-1928 - first professional runner Paavo Nurmi wins 9 olympic gold medals. The innovation by Nurmi is to use modern instruments: a clock
  • 1928 - women run in olympics for the first time
  • 1928-1929 - the world's longest race is organized two times in the States: from coast to coast it takes 5895 kilometers.
  • 1930 - Taisto Mäki 10000 meters under half hour: 29.52.6
  • 1935 - Jesse Owens breaks five world records and levels one more in no more than 45 minutes
  • 1948-1952 - Emil Zatopek, The Human Train, rules the long-distance races. He developed the brand new technic: interval training. One famous training was to run 100*400m!
  • 1954 - Roger Bannister goes under 4 minutes. The new record for a mile is 3.59.6
  • 1960's - Arthur Lydiard's athletes amazes world with the aid of steady state running
  • 1968 - 10 seconds is history: James Hines runs 100 meters in 9.9 secs
  • 1970's - Africans are coming
  • 1991 - 25797 runners finish New York Marathon which is the most ever in a single competition
I like it!