Running A Global History
Running A Global History by Thor Gotaas, published by Reaktion Books in 2012, offers a comprehensive exploration of the history of running, spanning from ancient civilizations to contemporary practices. This edition, a translation and reprint, consists of 383 pages and is presented in English. Gotaas delves into the evolution of running as a popular form of exercise, highlighting its significance throughout history and the various motivations behind this enduring activity.
Readers will discover a wealth of intriguing anecdotes, including tales of King Shulgi of Mesopotamia, who famously ran a distance of 100 miles, and ancient Egyptian pharaohs who used running to assert their vitality. The book also covers diverse running practices, such as races involving animals by Norwegian Vikings and unique endurance tests from various cultures. With its engaging narrative, this work appeals to enthusiasts of sports and recreation, as well as those interested in the historical context of running and jogging.
Official synopsis Publisher
In the past decade, the number of Americans who consider themselves runners more than doubled–in 2008, more than 16 million Americans claimed to have run or jogged at least 100 days in the year. Though now running thrives as a convenient and accessible form of exercise, it is no surprise to learn that the modern craze is not truly new; humans have been running as long as they could walk. What may be surprising however are the myriad reasons why we have performed this exhausting yet exhilarating activity through the ages. In this humorous and unique world history, Thor Gotaas collects numerous unusual and curious stories of running from ancient times to modern marathons and Olympic competitions.
Amongst the numerous examples that illustrate Gotaas’s history are King Shulgi of Mesopotamia, who four millennia ago boasted of running from Nippur to Ur, a distance of not less than 100 miles. Gotaas’s account also includes ancient Egyptian pharaohs who ran to prove their vitality and maintain their power, Norwegian Vikings who exercised by running races against animals, as well as little-known naked runs, bar endurance tests, backward runs, monk runs, snowshoe runs, and the Incas’ ingenious infrastructure of professional runners.
The perfect gift for the sprinter, the marathoner, or the daily jogger, this intriguing world history will appeal to all who wish to know more about why the ancients shared our love–and hatred–of this demanding but rewarding pastime.
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