Humans Were Born to Run, Scientists Say

Reuters ^ | 11/17/2004 | Patricia Reaney

[ElkGroveDan]

This should stimulate some lively discussion, not to mention photos.

[camle]

calling bruce springsteen!

[Mr Ramsbotham]

For a creature that's "made for running" we certainly don't run very fast.

[Bluegrass Conservative]

[Lee Heggy]

Fish gotta swim
Birds gotta fly
I love one man till...

I think they're onto something here.

[ArrogantBustard]

Fast isn't all there is to running ...

(signed)

Marathon Man

[Rytwyng]

What a silly theory. Any quadruped can outrun us -- even quadrupedal apes.

[orionblamblam]

> we certainly don't run very fast.

We don't need to. Humans, trained properly, are good long distance runners. We can run down critters that can outrun us. Humans have been known to run down and exhaust animals such as gazelles and the like.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

It's from chasing buses.

[SBprone]

Humans were born to run. And to walk.

But I don't believe they were born to jog. Shin splints, stress fractures and spine problems are the reward for splitting the difference between running and walking, and then doing it for years on end.

[Terabitten]

What a silly theory. Any quadruped can outrun us -- even quadrupedal apes.

I'm not a scientist, but I tend to agree with you here. I can't imagine any human that could keep up with a wolf trotting along all day.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

We don't need to. Humans, trained properly, are good long distance runners. We can run down critters that can outrun us. Humans have been known to run down and exhaust animals such as gazelles and the like.

"Evolved to walk," is probably a bit closer to the truth than "evolved to run." But if you can do one, you can probably do the other; however badly.

[Beckwith]

Someone forward this post to Nick the Greek.

[Ignatz]

Big buttocks are also important

Bwahahahahaha!!!!!!! Can you say "ghetto-booty"?
I knew you could.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Fast isn't all there is to running ...

It is when a cheetah's chasing you!

[mike182d]

To the best of my knowledge, there is absolutely no proof of evolution occuring at the macro- level. We have observed it at the micro- level, as some species have undergone slight changes in color or size, but in the entire history of our observation of nature we have never ever witnessed, nor have evidence, one species completely changing into another.

There are so many flaws in this "law" of evolution that I cannot help but laugh hysterically at anyone who takes this seriously as an explanation of the generation of species.

[ElkGroveDan]

Yeah, sad to say I think I agree. Even extended running will do that to you. I went from being a chubby kid, to lean 5-mile-a-day runner as a young man, to a flabby 40-something again due to ankles that simply couldn't take it anymore.

But I will say to the people who do still run, or are just getting started, get off the concrete and onto the asphalt.

[DennisR]

"Shin splints, stress fractures and spine problems are the reward for splitting the difference between running and walking, and then doing it for years on end."

Been jogging for oh, nearly 30 years, and have none of the problems you mention.

[ArrogantBustard]

Homo Sapiens are not gazelles ... Endurance is king when you're chasing the cheetah!

[shadowman99]

"Shin splints, stress fractures and spine problems are the reward for splitting the difference between running and walking"

We were probably much better at running earlier in our evolution. Just as we have become taller in the last 100 years, we also over time have probably lost some of our physical qualities that made us good runners/hunters.

"...and then doing it for years on end."

We live on average at least 4 times longer than our prehistoric ancestors. They didn't deal with long term wear and tear like we do.