Running is the world's most popular sport, so it's no wonder that designers and creators go out of their way to keep runners comfortable and comfortable. Global corporations compete in creating innovative inventions and gadgets - and thanks to this, professional and amateur athletes live better and better every year. Check how running has evolved in recent years and learn more about the precursors of running inventions as well as technological innovations.

Contents:

  1. Running inventions of the 20th century that revolutionized the sport
  2. 21st century running inventions

Running shoes, watches, meters, heart rate monitors, sportswear … all of this creates a large field for all kinds of creators, scientists and designers. Every year, several or even a dozen or so technical innovations appear on the market, which runners eagerly use. However, we often underestimate the opportunities offered by the 21st century and forget that running in the last century was not so easy and pleasant.

If you felt like running, it wasn't enough to put on a running vest or a belt with water, but you had to keep the water in your hand. When you wanted to measure your running time and check your heart rate, you had to do without it, as the first electric watch wasn't invented until the 1970s.

And when you feel like running through the slippery mud in the woods? Well, the Nike waffle non-slip and cushioning sole has only been available since 1974.

Not to mention the fact that running for ladies was a bit unpleasant - there were no sports bras in the past. This only shows how useful new technologies are, and you can read about these and other inventions in our article!

Running inventions of the 20th century that revolutionized the sport

1. Pacemaster 600 treadmill - invented in 1968

With the Pacemaster 600 treadmill, you don't have to wait for favorable weather to go jogging. Jogging can now be done at any gym!

The world's first treadmill was invented in Seattle. It was designed by cardiologist Robert Bruce from the University of Washington. Interestingly, the treadmill was not just for jogging. The author created it in order to be able to assess the work of the heart and lungs as early as 1952,but it took 16 years for the runners to benefit from it.

When the Pacemaster 600 model was launched, entrepreneur Bill Staub designed a line of commercial running shoes.

The new features that he implemented are: the choice of a running "terrain" between off-road and street running, which is reflected in the choice of soft or hard ground.

2. Running bra - designed in 1977

The first sports bra was created in 1977 and two runners, Hinda Miller and Lisa Lindahl, came up with the idea. The running bra turned out to be a real revolution not only in sports, but also in fashion!

The runners even founded a professional company: Jogbra (which was later acquired by Champion) and started the commercial production of women's sports bras. We women are probably most grateful for this invention;)

3. Running shoes - Nike Waffle Trainer created in 1974

There is a funny anecdote associated with the creation of Nike shoes. Bill Bowerman, a trainer at the University of Oregon, doubled and made efforts to come up with an innovative idea to create sports shoes.

The matter turned out to be much simpler - Bowerman used… his wife's waffle iron to design the sole! He poured urethane foam into it and this is how the world-famous waffle sole was created.

The design of the shoes ended with the use of rubber parts. As a result, no other shoes have cushioned as well as the famous Nikes.

At first, the company was called Blue Ribbon Sports, but a few years later it changed its name to Nike and there is probably no one in the world who would not hear about it.

4. Sports watches - Casio Casiotron from 1974

The first electronic watch was produced in 1972 by the Hamilton company. The pulsar model, as it was called, was made of 18 carat gold and cost, attention, note … as much as $ 2,100!

Maybe it's a question of price, or maybe parameters, but not this watch touched the hearts of runners, and the Casio model - Casiotron! The watch had a stopwatch, displayed hours, minutes and seconds, and it only cost $ 150.

What more do runners need to be happy? The creators of today's activity monitoring bands and sports watches certainly know the answer;)

5. Polar PE200 heart rate sensor - launched in 1983

The wireless heart rate sensor is an extremely important and useful invention to this day. Runners enthusiastically used it for jogging and put on a characteristic strap on the chest. It was constructed by the Finnish electronics professor SeppoSaynajakangasa.

Interestingly, Solar and Addisas are about to launch sports t-shirts and bras with a built-in sensor that acts as a wristband to measure the heart rate. Of course, they will continue to cooperate with the gadget's precursor - Polar's RS800sd Running Computer.

6. Stabilizing shoes - invented in 1984

The stabilizing shoes had one important goal - to eliminate the problem with foot pronation, i.e. turning it inwards. The shoes were created thanks to the collaboration of three companies: Saucony created an external plastic heel stabilizer, Etonic constructed a removable insole, and New Balance improved the look of the shoes.

The effect of running in these shoes was better joint cushioning and stabilization of the lower limb axis, i.e. ankles, knees and hips, which reduced overload and prevented injuries.

7. Jones-Oerth Counter - Invented 1984

The Jones-Oerth counter is designed to measure the exact distance of the route, and in the 70's it was not that easy. The ruler used by the judges to measure full circle revolutions did not turn out to be as accurate as they predicted.

That's why Jones-Oerth came up with the idea of ​​constructing a meter that would measure distances to the nearest centimeter!

To this day, its meter is the official measuring tool used all over the world.

8. Oakley sunglasses - invented 1984

The first sunglasses for runners, the Oakley model, were launched by the Eyeshades company. The glasses were characterized by plastic lenses and lightweight frames, the rubber noses and temples of which prevented them from slipping off the runner's face.

Interestingly, in 2004 the company launched a model with an Mp3 player built into the glasses frames!

9. Champion nylon shorts - designed in 1986

Champion in the sixties constructed nylon shorts that revolutionized sports fashion! By nature, nylon is light, it does not rub and does not show sweat stains, so it is designed with athletes in mind!

Interestingly, in 1976, the Adidas company joined the shorts that tighten the briefs, which additionally increased the comfort of runners. Briefs made it possible to not wear additional underwear, and also allowed for greater freedom of movement without fear of the visibility of underwear or private parts of the body.

10. Camelbak water belt - from 1988

In 1988, Michael Edison, tired of sipping water from a bottle while running, stuck a drip to his back and drank water through a tube. Thanks to this,his friend Roger Fawcett used his friend's idea and created a design for the first belt with a water bag.

Camelbak, as this model was called, consists of an adjustable strap, a small water compartment and a rubber drinking tube. Not only convenient, but also functional!

11. ChampionChip - created in 1994

ChampionChip is a device that put an end to the confusion during the run about crossing lines and changing lanes by runners. These chips send an electromagnetic signal to the computer as the competitor passes sensors along the track.

Chips were first used in 1994 during the Berlin Marathon, and in 2003 they were upgraded to instantly transfer times to mobile phones.

Thanks to the sensors, runners do not have to wait for the entry numbers and official results after crossing the finish line, because the chips send data on a regular basis.

21st century running inventions

1. Sports headband

In today's world, a sports band is an absolute must-have! The bands allow you to constantly monitor our he alth and collect parameters such as: heart rate, calories burned, the number of steps taken during the day, sleep quality, etc., and they also have a timer function, stopwatch, and even weather forecast and GPS!

This is an extremely useful gadget, especially for trail running enthusiasts and professional runners.

2. Best Breathe and Power Breathe

Best Breathe is the perfect gadget for any runner who has problems with the respiratory system. Best Breathe is made of plastic tubes that are inserted into the nose - thanks to this, they clear it and increase air flow.

The second gadget with the same function is the Power Breathe. This gadget helps to train the respiratory muscles responsible for the proper oxygenation of the body.

For this purpose, you should breathe by drawing air through a specially designed mouthpiece. This task only seems simple - the device resists and forces our breathing muscles to work harder.

3. Compression clothing

This type of clothing allows for much more physical effort than in a normal cotton or nylon outfit.

Clothing works like a tourniquet - it presses the muscles down and makes them tired more slowly. There are supporters of this theory, but also those who advise against wearing compression garments - it all depends on our he alth condition and the expected results.

Nevertheless, compression garments for runners certainly come in handy andinnovative sports gadget.

4. Running vest

The running vest is a very useful gadget. If you happened to go out for a run and wondered where to hide your phone, wallet, water and other useful things, this running vest seems to be the perfect gadget for you.

These vests are made of light and airy mesh that does not restrict movement, which means that they can be worn at any time of the day and in any weather. The most frequently chosen vest is the Urban Tool sportHolster.

5. Lactic acid analyzer

This is an excellent gadget that allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of our training! Lactic acid is secreted during exercise and is an ally in the fight against fatigue.

The analyzer works on a similar principle to a glucometer - just prick your finger and put a drop of blood on the strip and put it in the device - then it will show you the parameters you need.

The most famous lactic acid analyzers are The Edge, Accutrend and LactateScout.

About the authorMałgorzata Kośla She is a qualified fitness instructor and certified personal trainer. Since childhood, her greatest passion was sport - she played football and basketball. Then a new love came - dance, especially dancehall. He likes to sweat at the gym and relaxes in yoga and meditation sessions. He is constantly expanding his knowledge about training and a he althy lifestyle. What besides sports? He runs a store with natural cosmetics and he althy food, writes his own blog (stylzyciadowolny.pl) and deals with copywriting.

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Category:

Running