A story through the history of running shoes

If you’re a bit of a geek, you’ll definitely find the history of running shoes interesting. Any runner who is interested in developments, the future of running shoes and how running training was done before our time will love this article..

To get around the subject as best as possible, I have allied myself with Henrik Andersen fra Bodyage.dk. Henrik has an enormous amount of knowledge, which he now shares with even less knowledgeable runners. You can read more about Henrik at the bottom of the article. I’ll give you the floor.

Running shoes of the past

Although scientists believe that humans have worn some form of footwear for around 40,000 years, the running shoe is a relatively new invention (just over 200 years old). A growing interest in running led the English in the 18th century to develop the a lightweight shoe, which had better grip on the ground. However, initial attempts at a running shoe made of leather were not very successful, as the leather tended to expand when it got wet.

The first rubber soles made of leather

In 1832 the first breakthrough came when Vent Webster patented a process by which rubber soles could be attached to leather shoes and boots. This process was used to create Plimsolls, which later became the shoe most children owned. It was not until 1852 when another Briton (Joseph William Foster – founder of the Boulton company, now known as Reebok) had a “Eureka moment” and tried putting spikes on the bottom of Plimsolls, creating what we now know as spike shoes.

Rubber sole with fabric – Vulcanization

The next major development was vulcanization, which revolutionized shoe production. Vulcanization is simply done by melting rubber and fabric together. This melted mixture was then formed into a sole and shoe with a pattern design in the sole. This small revolution developed lightweight, silent and flexible shoes. This in turn led to the development and creation of Keds, which were canvas and rubber shoes from 1892 by the manufacturer Goodyear. However, it was not until 1917 that Goodyear understood the connection and began advertising Keds as an athletic shoe. They eventually became known as Sneakers, because the rubber sole allowed you to ‘sneak’ around silently.

The start of Adidas – before Addas

The father of the modern running shoe was Adolf Dassler. He started making shoes in 1920. Each shoe had a set of handmade spikes, no matter the set of spikes, and each design was designed for a given running distance. It was the first time that design focused on whether the runner was a sprinter or a long-distance runner. In 1936, his shoes were internationally recognized as the best and were used by athletes such as Jesse Owens.

After the hard war years, Adolf Dassler continued to prosper, developing training shoes made from surplus tent canvas and rubber from fuel tanks. In 1948, he founded the company Addas, but it was soon split into Addas (later known as Adidas), and Puma, which was formed by brother Rudolf. To give support to the running shoe, Dassler added three stripes to the side of the shoe, which first appeared in 1949.

Birth of Asics – Japanese post-war brand

At the same time, a new era began on the other side of the world with the manufacture of sportswear. This industry began in earnest in 1949, when Mr. Onitsuka founded Onitsuka Co. Ltd. Looking in amazement at what World War II had done to a large number of homeless children in Japan, he asked himself, “What can I do to give them a better future?” His love of sports gave him the right answer: that sports would be the best starting point to achieve this goal. ASICS was born.

Lynn running brand and New England

The most popular shoes for many runners in New England U.S.A. in the 1930s and 40s were made by the Ritchings Company of Lynn, Massachusetts. They were individually fitted, beautifully crafted, and extremely lightweight. The shoe pictured above is made by another manufacturer from Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a paper-thin leather upper, hard rubber soles, and an early lacing system on the upper to ensure the shoe was securely fastened to the foot. Heel support was minimal, but this was a time when men were as tough as the conditions they often ran in. Shoes from this era were usually large, clunky, and heavy, but this pair of shoes showed there were exceptions.

Throughout the post-war period, the demand for leisure footwear increased. The fitness craze of the 1930s meant that sneakers became associated with sports and leisure activities. In 1936, the US basketball team chose Converse Chucks as their official shoe. In the same year, Dassler’s running shoes were used at the Olympic Games in Berlin. In the 1950s, famous runners began to receive running shoes for free. Most athletes did not wear socks. This meant that the shoe had to have a very comfortable fit.

The introduction of New Balance’s Trackster running shoes

In 1962, Introduced New Balance England the first scientifically tested shoe, the “trackster,” which weighed 96 grams.

The introduction of the Trackster marked the shift from the more uncomfortable “sneakers” that were less suited to running to shoes made specifically for sports. Shaped to fit the human foot, with a soft leather upper and lacing that helped secure the shoe around the midfoot. The most notable feature of the shoe was the ridged sole that the advertisements claimed would ward off shin splints. It was patented by the Ripple Sole Corporation and the deep grooves helped cushion the impact of the foot upon landing and are still remarkably flexible today. Ken Cooper, who wrote Aerobics in 1967, noted in his book his beloved Tracksters. The shoes were available in a variety of widths and cost $15.65 when they were introduced. New Balance’s foresight in producing a running shoe at a time when very few people actually ran must be commended.

The History of the Running Shoe – Bowerman and Knight

Phil Knight, a business manager at the University of Oregon and a miler and track team member, was dissatisfied with the running shoes available at the time. In early 1960, he and his coach Bill Bowerman decided to form a company to market a shoe that utilized Bowerman’s design. The shoe was lightweight and comfortable for running conditions. Bowerman and Knight did only personal marketing. The pair traveled the country to meet and they became increasingly well-known and successful in the sports industry. The first shoes were known as the Tiger Shoes and featured a heel wedge designed by Bowerman. The company, originally called Blue Ribbon Sports, was later renamed Nike, named after the Greek goddess of victory.

The demand for specialty running shoes showed that consumers were ready for further innovation in footwear. The first major innovation for Nike came in 1972 when Bowerman poured rubber into a waffle iron in his kitchen. It was the birth of the waffle sole as well as the best-selling running shoe in the country. Later that year, Bowerman paid a student $35 to design a trademark for the growing company. He was not thrilled with the “swoosh” the student came up with, but it later became the backbone of Nike’s marketing, as well as a status symbol and cultural icon. Nike quickly became the market leader in athletic footwear sales and design.

Other new brands at the time

On a trip to Germany in the late sixties, the famous New Zealand runner and trainer Arthur Lydiard met with some craftsmen from the company EB who shared his vision of making running shoes that would not pinch and make blue toenails and that would also relieve some of the stress on the Achilles tendons. Lydiard knew it was possible, as he himself ran over 180 km. per week in shoes with more room for the toes, while his running partners ran in shoes that were every greedy podiatrist’s dream. The soft upper made from a single piece of kangaroo skin on the Marathon shoe had plenty of room for the toes to wiggle and a built-in heel cup that kept the back foot well in place. The shoe was launched in 1970, and came to the market in the U.S.A. in 1974. They were never a huge success, perhaps because they cost $32, which was twice as expensive as the average running shoe at the time. Lydiard also developed a 114 gr. competition shoe in 1974 and in 1984 helped Converse develop some good shoes.

The uncompromising Jayhawk, named after the most successful athletic team of the time, the Kansas Jayhawks, was the shoe of choice for serious runners in the 1970s. It bears a striking resemblance to today’s competition shoes, albeit with slightly less cushioning. The cut-out EVA midsoles were thin, yet still responsive, and the hexagonal rubber outsole gripped the asphalt like a Porsche. The gold-colored nylon upper was soft and comfortable, and running in them was a pleasure. The shoes won a lot of races.

New Balance dominated the history of running shoes

The sleek design of the New Balance 320 won a lot of fans when it was introduced in 1976. Runner’s World declared it the winner of their annual shoe test and sales exploded, forcing the company to increase production to over 500 pairs per day. The pure Nylon upper, the EVA midsole with 2 different densities and the futuristic “Astrocrepe” outsole were what could bring the weight down below the magical 10-ounce (283 gr.) mark. The shoe’s light weight kicked off the competition among running shoe manufacturers to make even lighter shoes. This is best illustrated by New Balance surpassing itself a few years later and introducing the NB 620 at 7.9 oz. (224 gr.). It is also interesting to note that the 320 has a lacing system that is very similar to the lacing system that the Trackster had and which was developed 16 years earlier.

Collaboration between Nike and NASA

NASA didn’t just advance space exploration in the late 20th century. In collaboration with Nike, they also developed the first air-cushioned sports shoe. Frank Rudy of NASA came up with the idea of ​​air-filled cushions under pressure, which are compressed, to Nike. The air cushions absorb shock and protect the foot. The air cushions were placed in the heel of theNike sko, and it is still used today, twenty years later.

The Olympics and the exposure of running shoes

At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, it was the first time an athlete was photographed, but he showed off his running shoes after winning the 10,000-meter race. This great advertising value was well rewarded by the companies that produced running shoes.

The first Olympics to be televised was in Mexico in 1968 and the advertising people wasted no time in making sure their brand was displayed on the podium for the whole world to see. Before this, shoe advertisements showing Olympic winners being presented with their glittering medals and wearing branded shoes had their faces blurred. The sight of Tommy Smith photographed in his Puma shoes while giving the “Black Power fist” was a powerful image and could be identified by many young people around the globe. At the time, it was alleged that athletics stars were given monetary rewards for running in certain shoes.

Montreal Olympics

At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, it was the first time an athlete was photographed, but he showed off his running shoes after winning the 10,000-meter race. This great advertising value was well rewarded by the companies that produced running shoes..
The first Olympics to be televised was in Mexico in 1968 and the advertising people wasted no time in making sure their brand was displayed on the podium for the whole world to see. Before this, shoe advertisements showing Olympic winners being presented with their glittering medals and wearing branded shoes had their faces blurred. The sight of Tommy Smith photographed in his Puma shoes while giving the “Black Power fist” was a powerful image and could be identified by many young people around the globe. At the time, it was alleged that athletics stars were given monetary rewards for running in certain shoes.

Reebok and Nike sponsoring in the 70s

In 1973, Steve Profontane became the first major sports personality sponsored to wear Nike shoes.

When the aerobic explosion occurred, Reebok brand market potential and began producing trainers in softer materials and colors that suited female tastes. The shoe was less rigid in construction.
Throughout the 1970s, manufacturers began to make shoes that were designed not only based on the type of running the person was doing, but also took into account the runner’s running style. The three leading styles that shoes were designed for were neutral runners, supinating runners, and pronating runners.

The big advancement in running shoes came in the 1970s with the use of ethylene vinyl acetate, also known as EVA. This material added a kind of air cushion to the design of a running shoe, giving runners extra cushion and shock absorption when they ran.

Specific running shoes in history

The Saucony Jazz epitomized the soft, comfortable, and cushioned ride that many runners craved over the rock-hard shoes of the time. The Jazz featured a narrow heel and wide forefoot that became standard in all future Saucony shoes. It remains the most popular shoe in the company’s history and was on the market for years. In 1992, the Jazz 3000 earned Consumer Reports’ “Best Buy” rating, and the company’s sales quadrupled. In 1999, the company introduced the Originals shoe line built around the Jazz, cementing its legitimacy.

Nike Pegasus

Nike Pegasus (read full review) has undergone more facelifts than the most hardened Hollywood actress, but throughout its 25-year history, it has been the running shoe for everyone. Nike designed the shoe so that almost anyone could run in it and priced it so that everyone could afford it. The shoe included a number of features normally only found in more expensive shoes, most notably an air cushion wedge in the heel. New models came in rapid succession, with the one shown here arriving in the late 80s. By the model’s 10th anniversary, Nike had sold close to 17 million pairs of the Pegasus. The shoe was inexplicably dropped in 1997, but was reintroduced with great fanfare in 2000 and remains a part of Nike’s running shoe line to this day.

X-Caliber GT

The X-Caliber GT, called “the high caliber shoe for overpronation” in the company’s advertisements, has been a favorite shoe for many runners for years. The name probably came from the Excalibur car, which represented the ultimate in craftsmanship. Vertical cuts in the heel and front of the midsole gave the shoe a good response and increased the shock absorption effect, not to mention the “hey, what’s that?” effect. The plastic midsole reduced pronation and led the way in the development of pronation control as it exists today. Also remember that GT-II introduced something called GEL.

Nike capitalized on the power of big-name sports stars during the 1980s and 1990s. Endorsements from stars like Michael Jordan accompanied the sense of movement of the “swoosh” logo and the catchy slogan “Just Do It.” Nike’s television commercials portrayed the sense of movement along with the desired effect of the “swoosh” logo. By choosing super sports stars, Nike appealed to the younger generations who idolized these figures and aspired to “be like Nike.” Nike’s advertisements helped boost sales and created some of the most memorable and effective advertising ever seen. Athletic shoes became more of a fashion phenomenon than an athletic product.

The Nike Sock Racer was developed by accident. In search of a stretchy material suitable for running tights, Nike designers stumbled upon a type of fabric used in the women’s corset industry. The fabric turned out to be too heavy for tights, but perfect for running shoes. The first test models of the shoe were a combination of nylon and corset fabric, but it didn’t take long for designers to develop, so the entire upper was made of the material. A full urethane sole without an outsole was added to the revolutionary-looking shoe, which didn’t revolutionize the industry or last very long, although today’s tongue construction probably owes something to this earlier innovation.

Reebok PUMP

The 1991 Reebok PUMP was an early example of an attempt to customize shoes and improve fit and support, but it was a limited success, like other technological “advances” of the period. The air bladders placed around the collar of the upper often bothered rather than supported the runner’s foot, or were not felt at all. The shoe received a lot of press coverage, but it quickly disappeared from the market. Around the same time, adidas came out with some inflatable midsoles that could provide more individual support. But like the Reebok Pump, that idea quickly ran out of steam.

Nike Air Huarache

The Nike Air Huarache also from 1991 was a huge hit when it hit the market. Everyone thought it was the look of the future, and every other running shoe company rushed to get a similar shoe into their line. Inspired by the traditional Mexican footwear of the same name, the form-fitting upper wrapped the foot in a comfortable cocoon, and the black “outriggers” were intended to give a notion of stability.

But the neoprene upper made for sauna-like foot temperatures, and the high arch was a killer for some. Alas, it quickly became clear that the “socks for your feet” concept wasn’t for everyone. Within three years, the concept was dead, but it was a great idea and made for some interesting-looking shoes in the meantime. Today, Nike’s primary model Nike Free Run, which, however, is not seen as a real running shoe by many experienced runners.

Running shoes today

Today, many manufacturers make running shoes that are suitable for all styles, surfaces, distances and speeds. Some brands make shoes that are available in different widths to ensure the perfect fit. (New Balance, for example)
Currently, the biggest players in the running shoe industry are: Nike, Adidas, Asics, Reebok, New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, Brooks and Puma.
Probably the most iconic image of running shoes and spikes in recent years is the one with Usain Bolt holding his Golden Spikes Puma Complete Theseus II running shoes after setting the 100m world record.

Latest trends in running shoes.

In recent years, with more focus on barefoot running, forefoot running, etc., shoe manufacturers have followed suit and are starting to develop new “minimalist” running shoe models.

More about that another time.

About Henrik Andersen and Bodyage

The article was written by the professional running coach and owner of bodyage.

I know that Henrik is extremely professional in his work as fitness consultant and personal trainer. He is a certified POSE running coach and has more than 25 years of experience.

running experience, where his primary distance is marathon running. In addition, it doesn’t hurt that Henrik has worked for more than 10 years at Polar pulsure.