Last Updated on June 5, 2024 by grubdunkman

The Meme Version

The meme version when running was invented goes as follows:

Running was invented in 1748 by Thomas Running when he tried to walk twice at the same time.

If you need to remember it for an exam, use a mnemonic phrase:
“Eat some bread, eat some rice, Thomas Running tried walk twice.”

The invention of running was influenced by Jogging. Joshua Jogging is credited with inventing jogging in 1746 by walking one and a half times at the same time.

There are a few memes circulating online with this caption. “Who Invented Running?” book with a tiger chasing an archaic human on the cover is sold on Amazon and published by The American Heart Association.

Critical Reception

Some redditors hate the hypothesis about invention of running.

When Was Running Invented Meme Gallery

“Running Invented”: Invention vs Evolution

The meme is obviously based on the use of the word “invention” and suggests a fixed date and the author. Just like breathing, eating and hearing, running was not an invention but rather the stage of evolution of Homo Sapiens. If you prefer the creationist version then running was invented by the God most likely on the sixth day when land animals and people were created.

First Walkers

The first known human was an “upright man” Homo Erectus who evolved around 2 million years ago. It was capable of walking on two feet, use stone tools and control fire. Walking on two feet gave an advantage of been able to move objects such as babies, food and tools in hands while walking on two feet.

Early Hunting Strategies

Walking also let the early humans develop hunting strategies, such as by holding spears and chasing the animal they were hunting. First hunting strategies were endurance type. That is when injured animal was chased by humans until the animal lost its blood and exhausted to the point when it was no longer being able to walk.

Running Invented

It is believed by scientists that’s when running was invented. Early hunters were aiming to get the animal they were hunting in sooner, saving the distance they travelled and time. The need to chase the animal forced them to walk faster and later to run to make their hunting more effective.

Running as a Sport, The Origins

From the era where we could only speculate and guess how things developed let’s move on to the ancients world where the history of running was well recorded.

In Ancient Greece the role of runners messengers was exceptional, it was the fastest and most reliable form of information transfer, that could decide the out come of a battle or a war. We covered this topic in greater detail in this blog post about Ancients Greek runners.

Running was one of the events in ancient Olympics, even though long distances were not initially included.