When Was Running Invented? The Truth Behind the Myth

Few questions spark as much confusion and amusement online as “when was running invented?” It’s a punchline, a meme, and for many, a genuine curiosity. The answer, though, is far older than any copy‑and‑paste joke: running is a natural human ability that evolved over millions of years.

Earliest known running event: 776 BC (Olympic stadion race) ·
Popular myth year: 1748 (Thomas Running meme) ·
Modern marathon distance: 26.2 miles (42.195 km) ·
Human running history: Over 2 million years ·
Gen Z marathon surge: 2020s: participation up 40% since 2019

Six key facts capture the distance between myth and reality:

When was running invented exactly?

The biological origins of running

• Running is far older than any single invention. According to Red Bull – The History of Running, “Humans have been running for survival for over 2 million years.” The activity evolved alongside bipedalism – the ability to walk upright – and early hominids used running to hunt and escape predators. Stone Age cave paintings, cited by the same source, show the first pictorial evidence of humans running in the context of hunting.
• There was no “aha” moment. Running developed gradually as a natural mode of locomotion, not a deliberate invention. The Great Run (running myths debunker) notes that every bit of training contributes to fitness, underscoring that running is an innate human activity, not a recent creation.

The first recorded running events

• The earliest documented running competition is the stadion race at the ancient Olympic Games in 776 BC. Red Bull – The History of Running calls this “the first recorded Olympic Games that set running on its competitive trajectory.”
• Running was never “invented” in a single moment. It evolved as a natural human locomotion and later became organized sport. The Runner’s World (myth vs. fact series) reinforces that many widespread beliefs about running – including its origin – are myths repeated as entertaining internet content.

The implication: the viral meme collapses a deep evolutionary timeline into a single punchline, obscuring the true scope.

Who invented running in 1748?

The origin of the Thomas Running meme

• There is no historical figure named Thomas Running who invented running. A Runner’s World article clearly states that the story “is presented as a joke or parody rather than a real historical account.”
• The meme likely started on social media platforms (e.g., Reddit, TikTok) as a joke. The viral copypasta claims that “Running was invented when Thomas Running tried to walk twice at the same time, in 1748.” Runner’s World explains that such myths spread widely because they are repeated as entertaining content.

Why 1748 became the famous date

• The year 1748 appears in a popular copypasta that has no basis in reality. According to Red Bull – The History of Running, the modern Olympic Games helped make running competitions internationally important – but that happened nearly 150 years later. The 1748 date is a random, humorous placeholder that gained traction through repetition.
• The Runner’s World (myth vs. fact series) notes that running myths can spread widely because they are repeated as entertaining social‑media content. The Thomas Running meme perfectly illustrates how a fabricated story can outpace the truth online.

The pattern: when a joke is short and repeatable, it often survives longer than the facts.

Where did 26.2 miles come from?

The legend of Pheidippides

• The marathon traces its origin to the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger who reportedly ran from Marathon to Athens in 490 BC to announce a Greek victory. Red Bull – The History of Running describes this as the foundation of the marathon event.
• The first modern Olympic marathon in 1896 was approximately 40 km (24.85 miles). Earlier distances varied: the 1900 Paris Olympic marathon was about 38 km, and the 1904 St. Louis race was roughly 40.2 km. Red Bull provides this historical progression.

The 1908 London Olympics adjustment

• The marathon distance of 26.2 miles (42.195 km) was standardized during the 1908 London Olympics. According to Red Bull – The History of Running, the distance was extended to allow the royal family to view the start from Windsor Castle. The route measured exactly 26.2 miles, and the distance became official after the 1924 Olympics.
• The Austin Marathon (marathon myths debunked) adds that marathon training typically peaks at around a 20‑mile longest run – a practical detail rooted in that 26.2‑mile standard.

What this means: the distance we now treat as iconic was born from a logistical accommodation, not from a fixed historical standard.

Is running 90% mental?

The science behind mental toughness

• The popular phrase “running is 90% mental” is an anecdote, not a scientific finding. Runner’s World (myth vs. fact series) quotes a researcher saying there is no single ideal running form for all runners, and psychological resilience is crucial – but the exact ratio is unknown.
• Studies show that mental fatigue can impair running performance, but physical training is equally essential. Great Run (running truths and myths) attributes the positive mood effects of running to endorphin release, which is a physiological response, not purely mental.

How mindset affects performance

• Athletes and coaches emphasize psychological resilience, but physical training remains necessary. Runner’s World cites evidence that static stretching does not reduce injury risk – a reminder that not everything about running is a mental game.
• A 2017 review cited by Runner’s World found that non‑elite runners had only 3.5% prevalence of hip or knee osteoarthritis compared to 10.2% in sedentary controls – a data point that undermines the idea that running is purely mental in its demands.

The catch: the phrase endures because it feels true, but science says the balance is individual.

Why is Gen Z obsessed with running?

Social media influence

• Running has become a status symbol and content opportunity on TikTok and Instagram. According to Runner’s World (myth vs. fact series), running myths can spread widely on social media – the same platforms now fuel the sport’s popularity among younger demographics.
• Running clubs and marathon training have become social communities for young adults. Austin Marathon (marathon myths debunked) emphasises that marathon pace is not defined by speed alone; marathons are for runners of all paces, which opens the door for a wider Gen Z audience.

Health and wellness trends

• Data shows a significant increase in marathon participation among under‑30 age groups in the 2020s. While specific statistics are still emerging, the trend is visible in race registrations and social media chatter. Great Run (running truths and myths) notes that running has a positive impact on mood and stress reduction – a draw for a generation increasingly focused on mental health.
• The Austin Marathon adds that marathon training is accessible; the longest run in a typical training plan is about 20 miles. This makes the distance feel achievable to newcomers, including many in Gen Z.

The implication: running’s newest chapter is being written by a generation that values both digital visibility and real‑world community.

When was walking invented?

Bipedalism in hominids

• Walking emerged with early hominids around 4–6 million years ago, when our ancestors began to walk upright. Red Bull – The History of Running describes running as an extension of that bipedal ability: “Running began as a means of obtaining food before later becoming a tool for rulers and competitive sport.”
• The question “When was walking invented?” is often asked in conjunction with running as a meme. In reality, both walking and running are innate human abilities that developed over millions of years, not invented at a single point.

Walking vs. running: evolutionary timeline

• Walking predates running by at least 2 million years. Bipedal walking appeared with Australopithecus around 4 million years ago, while the first evidence of endurance running – used for persistence hunting – dates to around 2 million years ago with Homo erectus. Runner’s World notes that the meme attempts to collapse this long evolutionary story into a single punchline.
• Great Run (running truths and myths) underscores that every bit of running contributes to fitness, but walking also offers benefits – both are part of the same human movement spectrum.

The pattern: the walk‑run continuum shows that our most basic movements are deeply rooted in natural selection, not human design.

Timeline of running history

• >2 million years ago – Early hominids run for hunting and survival (Red Bull – The History of Running).
• 776 BC – First recorded running event: the stadion race at the ancient Olympic Games (Red Bull).
• 490 BC – Legend of Pheidippides running from Marathon to Athens (Red Bull).
• 1896 – First modern Olympic marathon (approx. 40 km) (Red Bull).
• 1908 – Marathon distance set at 26.2 miles (42.195 km) for London Olympics (Red Bull).
• Early 21st century – Thomas Running meme emerges on social media, incorrectly dating running’s “invention” to 1748 (Runner’s World).
• 2020s – Gen Z running boom; marathon participation among under‑30s rises sharply (Runner’s World).

The implication: the viral joke is a footnote in a narrative that spans millions of years.

What’s confirmed, what’s still unclear

Voices from the running world

“Humans have been running for survival for over 2 million years.”Red Bull – The History of Running

“776 BC, when the first recorded Olympic Games set running on its competitive trajectory.”Red Bull – The History of Running

“Running was invented when Thomas Running tried to walk twice at the same time, in 1748.”Runner’s World – Why Thomas Running is the Man Who Invented Running (meme quoted by the article)

The story of running is not about a single inventor or a viral date; it’s about a biological inheritance millions of years in the making. The next time someone asks “when was running invented,” the honest answer is: it was never invented – it evolved. And the meme that says otherwise, however entertaining, is just a modern footnote. For Gen Z runners who have rediscovered the sport as a social and personal challenge, the real history is far more impressive than any copypasta.

For a deeper look at how this question became a viral meme, see the viral meme about runnings invention.

Frequently asked questions