The History of Track Shoes

The need for speed has pushed the development of track shoes.

The choices of track shoes today are numerous and varied. There are track shoes for all types of feet, running surfaces and distances. Regardless of how many improvements and choices come each year, it all started with the need to run faster.

Greece

The athletic sandal was worn by Greek athletes in the early Olympics. The athletes wearing these sandals were criticized until they started winning. Then the fact that the sole offered traction became widely accepted and used by Greek athletes. A small community between the Greek and Roman empires in northern Italian was well known for sandal making. It was this community that improved the sandal by using metal tacks to attach the sole, which extended the life of the shoe. With this improvement, the first, crude track shoe was born.

First Rubber-Soled Shoes

The development of a lightweight shoe with the ability to grip the ground came about in England in the mid-18th century. An all-leather spiked shoe was then introduced in the 19th century. As the desire for speed continued to grow, so did the improvement of running shoes. Lightweight leather shoes fitted tightly to the athletes' feet increased speed and traction; however, these shoes were not waterproof, making them useless. To solve this problem, Wait Webster created a process to attach a rubber sole to the soles. Webster patented this process in 1832.

First Spiked Track Shoe

To increase traction, spikes were added to the lightweight track shoe. The first spiked track shoe was created in 1852. By 1894, the Spalding Company had three different spiked running shoes in their catalog. These shoes were very expensive at $6 per pair. At that time, an average family of four lived on $11 a week.

Addidas and Puma

Adolph and Rudi Dassler, brothers from Germany, were responsible for largely introducing spiked shoes to the track and field sports. By 1925, the brothers were making track shoes with hand-forged spikes. In the 1928 Olympics, these unique shoes gained worldwide attention. Jesse Owens was wearing shoes made by the Dassler brothers when he won gold at the 1936 Olympics. The Dassler brothers went their separate ways in 1948, Rudi creating Puma and Adolph creating Adidas. In the 1970s, Adidas was the top-selling athletic shoe brand in the United States.

Choosing the Right Spike

Today, there are many choices for track shoes based on surface, stride and style. When running on grass or dirt, pyramid spikes work best. For the best traction on tracks, needle spikes would be the best option. There is another option, called Christmas Tree spikes, which is a combination of the pyramid and needle spikes. These spikes offer both traction and bounce. After determining the best spike for your running needs, working with a trained salesperson will help ensure the proper shoe for your stride. Then, with your spike and stride needs identified, attention can be focused on your personal style.

References

• Copacabana Runners: History of Athletic Shoes
• Links to the Past: Jesse Owens Track Shoe
• Run the Planet: History of the Athletic Sandal