Global Running Human
  • Home
    • Running Barefoot for Human Survival
    • Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains
    • About Doctor Sidy Diallo
    • Qui est docteur Sidy Diallo ?
    • Barefoot Running Training
    • The tragic fate of Abebe Bikila
    • Le destin tragique d’Abebe Bikila
    • Ancestral Cryophobia is Back
    • The Running Pioneers and the Cheaters
    • Correr descalzos por la supervivencia humana
    • Doctor Descalzo Sidy Diallo
    • Les piliers du bonheur
    • The Basics of Bliss and Wellness
    • Nearly 60 Kg of Body Fat Burned in Two Years
    • 6 885 km et 452 577 kcal en 2 ans
    • The Human Body Is Not Designed for Our Lifestyle
    • El cuerpo humano no está diseñado para nuestro estilo de vida
    • Overcoming Nelophobia
  • Homo Sapiens
    • A Tropical Paradise in Europe
    • Perdre du poids facilement et gratuitement
    • Durable Weight Loss
    • Planet of the Masked Apes
    • I Ran 25 Marathons in 18 Weeks
    • Cool Flight from Mexico City
    • Forty-One Million Preventable Deaths per Year
    • 41 millions de décès évitables par an
    • Le syndrome du bagne
    • The Port Arthur Syndrome
    • The Aggravation of COVID-19 Comorbidities
    • L’aggravation des comorbidités de la Covid
    • Authoritarian Absurdistan aka France
    • The Irrational Bans on Running
    • Physical Activity Ban in Absurdistan
  • Media
  • 2025
    • 2025 Mayday Marathon
    • 2025 Madrid Marathon
    • 2025 Easter Sunday Marathon
    • 2025 Paris Marathon
    • 2025 Royal Paris Marathon
    • King Lizard Lacktail Marathon
    • 2025 Maspalomas Carnival Marathon
    • The 70th Birthday Marathon
    • 2025 Barcelona Marathon
    • 2025 Tunte Marathon
    • 2025 Montigny Great Walk
    • 2025 Lake Ayagaures Ultramarathon
    • Maspalomas Racial Profiling Marathon
    • 2025 Playa del Ingles New Year Marathon
  • Barefoot
    • Dr. Diallo’s Marathons 2.0
    • My Barefoot World Marathon Majors
    • Fifteen Weekly Barefoot Marathons
    • 8 Barefoot Marathons in 8 Weeks
  • Private Runs
    • Maspalomas Dunes Marathons
    • Paradise Marathons
    • Private Runs in Absurdistan
    • Paradise Half Marathons
  • 42k & ultras
    • Countries
    • Ultramarathons >
      • 11-2017-06-04 Comrades Marathon (87 km)
      • 10-2016-05-29 Comrades Marathon (89 km)
      • 9-2016-03-19 Eco Trail de Paris (80 km / 5O Miles)
      • 8. 2015 Two Oceans Ultra 56km (Cape Town, South Africa/Afrique du Sud)
      • 7. 2015 White Continent Ultramarathon (King George Island, Antarctica)
      • 6. 2015 Punta Arenas Ultramarathon (Chile, South America)
      • 5. 2015 Kathmandu Ultra 50 km (Nepal, Asia)
      • 4. 2014 Chicago Lakefront 50k (North America)
      • 3. 2014 Bush Capital Bush Ultramathon (63.3 K, Oceania)
      • 2. 2014 Trail du Golfe du Morbihan (56k, France)
      • 1. 2014 Royal Raid 80 km (50 miles), Ile Maurice / Mauritius (Africa)
    • 2024 >
      • 2024 Puerto del Carmen Marathon
      • 2024 Lanzarote Marathon
      • 2024 Playa de Las Americas Marathon
      • 2024 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Marathon
      • 2024 Lyon Marathon
      • 2024 Marne et Gondoire Marathon
      • 2024 Maspalomas Olympic Marathon
      • 2024 Isleta Extreme Marathon
      • 2024 Canarias Day Marathon
      • Maspalomas Districts Marathon
      • 2024 Tokyo Marathon
      • 2024 Paris Marathon
      • 2024 Air Marathon
    • 2023 >
      • 2023 GC Maspalomas Marathon
      • First Maspalomas Dunes Marathon
      • 2023 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Marathon
      • 2023 Amsterdam Marathon
      • 2023 Guayaquil Marathon
      • 2023 Seine Marathon
      • 2023 Medellin Marathon
      • Audax 50 km Paris-Cergy
      • My 400th Marathon
      • 2023 Leamington Spa Marathon
      • 2023 Peace and Love Marathon
      • 2023 Paris Marathon
      • 2023 Retirement Marathon
      • 2023 Montpellier Marathon
      • Le marathon pour l’autonomie des seniors
      • 2023 Moorea Marathon
      • Tahiti 25 Km
      • 2023 Dying Forests Marathon
      • 2023 Bermuda Marathon
      • 2023 Bermuda Mermaid Marathon
    • 2022 >
      • 2022 SQY Saint Sylvester Marathon
      • 2022 Tilia Residences Marathon
      • 2022 HCMC International Marathon
      • 2022 Empire City Marathon
      • 2022 Panama Marathon
      • 2022 KL Marathon
      • 2022 French Riviera Marathon
      • 2022 Tirana Marathon
      • 2022 Vannes Marathon
      • 2022 Skopje Marathon
      • 2022 Pristina Marathon
      • 2022 Oslo Marathon
      • 2022.08.20 Chambord Marathon
      • 2022.06.19 Rio de Janeiro Marathon
      • 2022.06.04 Stockholm Marathon
      • 2022.05.29 Edinburgh Marathon
      • 2022.05:21 Royan Marathon
      • 2022.05:15 Route du Louvre Marathon
      • 2022.05:08 Barcelona Marathon
      • 2022.04.18 Boston Marathon
      • 2022.04.03 Paris Marathon
      • My 67th Birthday Barefoot Marathon
      • 2022.03.19 Paris EcoTrail
      • 2022.01.15 The O’Mycron Marathon
    • 2021 >
      • 2021.12.31 Marathon Against Pandemics
      • The 2021 Absurdistan Running Series (ARS)
      • 2021.12.19 The Human Misery Marathon
      • 2021.11.28 Mexico City Marathon
      • 2021.11.26 Chapultepec Marathon
      • 2021.11.14 Athens Marathon
      • 2021.11.07 Podgorica Marathon
      • 2021.10.31 Bucharest Marathon
      • 2021.10.24 Ljubljana Marathon
      • 2021.10.17 Paris Marathon
      • 2021.10.10 Sofia Marathon
      • 2021.10.03 London Marathon
      • 2021.09.26 Berlin Marathon
      • 2021.09.19 Rome Marathon
      • 2021.09.12 Vienna Marathon
      • 2021.09.05 Run in Paradise Marathon
      • 2021.08.29 Chantilly Castle Marathon
      • 2021.08.24 The COVID Big Screen Marathon
      • 2021.08.10 Marathon # 295
      • The 2021 Lac d’Orient Marathon
      • The 2021 Eco Trail de Paris (80 km)
      • The 2021 Palace of Versailles Marathon
      • The 2021 Divi Tree Marathon
      • The 2021 Aruba Marathon
      • My other Races in 2021
    • 2020 >
      • 45 Marathons and 2 Ultramathons in 4 Months
      • 3.2020.03.08 Los Angeles Marathon - USA
      • 2.2020-03.01 Malta Marathon - Malta
      • 1.2020-02.09 Miami Marathon - USA
      • My 2020 Non-official Marathons >
        • My Liberation Marathon # 60
        • Three Liberation Marathons
        • SQY Park Marathon
        • 2020 Virtual New York Marathon
        • SQY to the Statue of Liberty Marathon
        • Tenth Anniversary Celebration Marathon
        • SQY to Health Ministry Marathon
        • SQY to Paris Ultramarathon
        • Montigny to Paris Bercy Marathon
        • SQY to Versailles Park Marathon
        • Liberation Marathons # 41 to 50
        • Chantilly Palace Marathon
        • Liberation Marathons # 31 to 40
        • Liberation Marathons # 21 to 30 >
          • Liberation Marathons # 28 to 30
          • Liberation Marathon # 27
          • Liberation Marathon # 26
          • Liberation Marathon # 25
          • Liberation Marathon # 24
          • Liberation Marathon # 23
          • Liberation Marathon # 22
          • Liberation Marathon # 21
        • Liberation Marathons # 11 to 20 and Ultramarathon # 2 >
          • Liberation Marathon # 20
          • Liberation Marathon # 19
          • Liberation Marathon # 18
          • Liberation Marathon # 17
          • Liberation Marathon # 16
          • Race the Comrades Legends
          • Liberation Marathon # 15
          • Liberation Marathon # 14
          • Liberation Marathon # 13
          • Liberation Marathon # 12
          • Liberation Marathon # 11
        • Liberation Marathons # 1 to 10 and Ultramarathon # 1 >
          • Liberation Marathon # 10
          • Liberation Ultramarathon # 1
          • Liberation Marathon # 9
          • Liberation Marathon # 8
          • Liberation Marathon # 7
          • Liberation Marathon # 6
          • Liberation Marathon # 5
          • Liberation Marathon # 4
          • Liberation Marathon # 3
          • Liberation Marathon # 2
          • Liberation Marathon # 1
        • Marathon Against Pandemics
        • Last Marathon Before Lockdown
        • Private Muscat Marathon
    • 2019 >
      • Seven Marathons in Seven Days
      • 32.2019.12.15 Malaga Marathon - Spain
      • 31.2019.12.08 Reggae Marathon - Jamaica
      • 30.2019.12.01 Valencia Marathon - Spain
      • 2019 Ivory Coast Marathon
      • 29.2019.11.03 New York Marathon - USA
      • 2019.11.02 New York Dash to the Finish Line 5K - USA
      • 28.2019.10.27 Lausanne Marathon - Switzerland
      • 27.2019.10.20 Auckland Marathon - New Zealand
      • 26.2019.10.13 Chicago Marathon - USA
      • 25.2019.10.06 Brusssels Marathon - Belgium
      • 24.2019.09.29 Budapest Marathon - Hungary
      • 23.2019.09.22 Buenos Aires Marathon - Argentina
      • 22.2019.09.08 Koblenz Marathon - Germany
      • 21.2019.08.25 Asuncion Marathon - Paraguay
      • 20.2019.06.16 Liberty Marathon - France
      • 19.2019.05.19 Lima Marathon - Peru
      • 18.2019.05.12 Marathon de la Loire - France
      • 17.2019.05.05 Prague Marathon - Czechia
      • 16.2019.04.28 Nantes Marathon - France
      • 15.2019.04.14 Paris Marathon - France
      • 14.2019.04.07 Bratislava Marathon - Slovaquia
      • 13.2019.03.31 Montauban Marathon - France
      • 12.2019.03.24 Marseille Marathon - France
      • 2019.03.16 Eco Trail de Paris (80 km) - France
      • 11.2019.03.14 Fonds Blancs Marathon - Fort-de-France, Martinique
      • 10.2019.03.13 Volcanic Sand Marathon - Saint Vincent
      • 2019.03.12 Dominica Marathon
      • 8.2019.03.11 Quartier d’Orleans Marathon - Saint Martin
      • 7.2019.03..10 BVI Marathon - British Virgin Islands
      • 6.2019.03.09 Costa Magica Marathon - Caribbean Sea
      • 5.2019.03.08 Butterfly Island Marathon - Le Gosier, Guadeloupe
      • 4.2019.02.24 Seychelles Marathon
      • 3.2019.02.17 Seville Marathon - Spain
      • 2.2019.01.25 Dubai Marathon - UAE
      • 1.2019.01.11 Doha Marathon - Qatar
      • 2019.02.09 Chinese New Year Hash - Paris
    • 2018 >
      • 24.2018.12.16 Pisa Marathon - Italy
      • 23.2018.12.09 Malaga Marathon - Spain
      • 22.2018.12.02 Costa Rica Marathon
      • 21.2018.11.25 Panama Marathon
      • 20.2018.11.18 Bangkok Marathon - Thailand
      • 19.2018.11.11 Istanbul Marathon - Turkey
      • 18.2018.11.04 French Riviera Marathon
      • 17.2018.10.28 Rennes Marathon - France
      • 16.2018.10.21 Toulouse Marathon - France
      • 15.2018.10.14 Metz Marathon - France
      • 14.2018.10.07 Lyon Marathon - France
      • 13.2018.30.09 Chisinau Marathon - Moldova
      • 12.2018.23.09 Marathon de Montreal
      • 11.2018.15.09 Seine-Marathon 76 - France
      • 10.2018.09.09 Vilnius Marathon - Lithuania
      • 9.2018-08-20 Capital City Marathon - Georgia
      • 8.2018-08-19 Bagratashen Marathon - Armenia
      • 7.2018-08-18 Azeri Marathon and Half Marathon - Azerbaidjan
      • 6.2018-08-11 10th Gay Games Marathon
      • 2018 La Course royale au Château de Versailles
      • 12-2018-06-10 Comrades Marathon (90.2 km)
      • 5.2018-06-03 Rhein-Ruhr Marathon
      • 4.2018-04-22 Antwerp Marathon
      • 3.2018-04-15 Bonn Marathon
      • 2.2018-04-08 Paris Marathon
      • 1.2018-01-21 Trinidad & Tobago Marathon - & 5k
    • 2017 >
      • 13. 2017-11-18 Suriname Marathon
      • 12. 2017-10-15 Amaterdam Marathon
      • 11. 2017-10-08 Metz Marathon
      • 10. 2017-10-01 Lyon Marathon
      • 9. 2017-08-05 Zambezi Waterfront Marathon
      • 8. 2017-08-04 Impalila Island Marathon
      • 7. 2017-08-03 Chobe Marathon
      • 6. 2017-08-02 Hwange Marathon
      • 5. 2017-07-31 Sand River Marathon
      • 4. 2017-07-3O Maseru Bridge Marathon
      • 3. 2017-07-29 Ladybrand Boarder Marathon
      • 2. 2017-04-09 Rotterdam Marathon
      • 1. 2017-03-19 Marathon de l'espace (Kourou, French Guiana)
    • 2016 >
      • 20. 2016-11-27 Curaçao Marathon
      • 19. 2016-11-19 Suriname Marathon
      • 18. 2016-07-16 Andorra Marathon
      • 17. 2016-06-26 Marathon du Terroir brayon
      • 16. 2016-06-12 Marathon de Marne & Gondoire
      • 15. 2016-05-08 Geneva Marathon / Marathon de Genève
      • 14. 2016-04-17 Marathon de Nantes
      • 13. 2016-04-10 Pyongyang Marathon
      • 12. 2016-04-03 Marathon de Paris
      • 11. 2016-03-27 Sri Chinmoy Marathon de Paris
      • 10. 2016-02-28 Malta Marathon
      • 9. 2016 Marathon de Dakar
      • 8. 2016-02-06: Philipsburg Waterfront Marathon (Sint Maarten/St Martin)
      • 7. 2016-02-05: St Kitts Waterfall Marathon, Basseterre (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
      • 6. 2016-02-04: Pitons Peak Marathon, Castries (Saint Lucia)
      • 5. 2016-02-03: Carlisle Bay Marathon, Bridgetown (Barbados)
      • 4. 2016-02-02: Carnival Cruise Marathon (Caribbean Sea / Mer des Caraïbes)
      • 3. 2016-02-01: St Thomas Cove Marathon (US Virgin Islands)
      • 2. 2016-01-31: San Juan Harbor Marathon (Puerto Rico)
      • 1. 2016 marathon de Cerny-La-Ville
    • 2015 >
      • 22. 2015 Marathon du beajolais
      • 21. 2015 Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes / 2015 French Riviera Marathon
      • 20. 2015 Dublin Marathon
      • 19. 2015 Zagreb Marathon
      • 18. 2015 Bucharest Marathon/Le Marathon de Bucarest
      • 17. 2015 Warsaw Marathon/Le Marathon de Varsovie
      • 16. 2015 Moscow Marathon
      • 15. 2015 Tallinn Marathon, Estonia
      • 14. 2015 Saint Petersburg Marathon, Russia
      • 13. 2015 Vignoble d'Alsace Marathon
      • 12. 2015 Marne & Gondoire
      • 11. 2015 Copenhagen Marathon
      • 10. 2015 Prague Marathon
      • 9. 2015 Albi Marathon
      • 8. 2015 Paris Marathon
      • 7. 2015 Limassol Marathon (Cyprus/Chypre)
      • 6. 2015 Rome Marathon
      • 5. 2015 Marathon Sri Chinmoy de Paris
      • 4. 2015 Southern Cross Marathon, Punta Arenas
      • 3. 2015 Torcy International Marathon
      • 2. 2015 Bahamas Marathon
      • 1. 2015 Walt Disney World Marathon, Floride
    • 2014 >
      • 2014 Peter Wieneke Geburstags Marathon
      • 30. 2014 Marathon de Pise / Pisa Marathon
      • 29. 2014 Marathon de Reggio Emilia / Reggio Emilia Marathon
      • 28. 2014 Maratón de Málaga
      • 27. 2014 Marathon de la Rochelle / 2014 La Rochelle Marathon
      • 26. 2014 Marathon du Beaujolais / 2014 Beaujolais Marathon
      • 25. 2014 Marathon de La Havane / 2014 Havana Marathon
      • 24. 2014 Marathon d'Athènes / 2014 Athens Marathon
      • 23. 2014 Marathon de Toulouse / 2014 Toulouse Marathon
      • 22. 2014 Marathon de Montpellier / 2014 Montpellier Marathon
      • 21. 2014 Marathon de Chicago / 2014 Chicago Marathon
      • 20. 2014 Marathon de Bruxelles / 2014 Brussels Marathon
      • 19. 2014 Marathon de Berlin / 2014 Berlin Marathon
      • 18. 2014 Marathon d'Oslo (Norvège) / 2014 Oslo Marathon (Norway)
      • 17. Marathon de Cologne (Allemagne) / 2014 Cologne Marathon (Germany)
      • 16.Marathon des Oussaillès / 2014 Oussaillès Marathon (France)
      • 15. Marathon de Monschau/The 2014 Monschau Marathon
      • 14. Marathon de Liechtenstein/The 2014 Liechtenstein Marathon
      • 13. Marathon Marne et Gondoire/2014 Marne et Gondoire Marathon (France)
      • 12. Marathon du Mont Saint-Michel/2014 Mont Saint-Michel Marathon (France)
      • 11. Marathon de Riga/2014 Riga Marathon (Latvia)
      • 10. Marathon de Hambourg/2014 Hamburg Marathon
      • 9. Marathon de Sénart/2014 Senart Marathon
      • 8. Marathon de Düsseldorf /2014 Düsseldorf Marathon
      • 7. Marathon de Boston/ 2014 Boston Marathon
      • 6. Marathon de Vienne/Vienna City Marathon
      • 5. Marathon de Paris
      • 4. Marathon de Barcelone
      • 3. Tokyo Marathon
      • 2. Marathon de Punta Arenas
      • 1. Le White Continent Marathon
    • 48 Marathons in Six Continents in 2013 >
      • 48. Marathon de la Saint Sylvestre (Calderara di Reno, Italie)
      • 47. Heiligabend Marathon (Neubrücke, Allemagne)
      • 46. Marathon de Pise (Italie)
      • 45. Marathon de Honolulu
      • 44. Marathon des Iles Cayman
      • 43. Marathon de Florence (Italie)
      • 42. Marathon de Valence (Espagne)
      • 41. Marathon de Nice - Cannes (France)
      • 40. Marathon de New York
      • 39. Marathon de Francfort (Allemagne)
      • 38. Marathon d'Amsterdam
      • 37. Marathon de Cologne (Allemagne)
      • 36. Marathon de Lyon (France)
      • 35. Marathon d'Einstein (Allemagne)
      • 34. Marathon de Karlsruhe (Allemagne)
      • 33. Marathon de Wachau 2013
      • 32. Marathon de Munster 2013
      • 31. Marathon des Oussaillès du Couserans 2013
      • 30. Marathon de Reykjavik 2013
      • 29. Marathon d'Helsinki 2013
      • 28. Marathon de Monschau 2013
      • 27. Marathon de Saint-André-des-Eaux 2013
      • 26. Le Marathon de l’Outback australien 2013 (Ayers Rock)
      • 25. Le Marathon de l'Ile Maurice 2013
      • 24. Le Marathon de Rio de Janeiro 2013
      • 23. Marathon de Marne et Gondoire 2013
      • 22. Fidelitas Nachtmarathon (Karlsruhe) 2013
      • 21. Marathon de la liberté (Caen) 2013
      • 20. Marathon de Luxembourg 2013
      • 19. Marathon de Stockholm 2013
      • 18. Marathon de Poitiers Futuroscope 2013
      • 17. Marathon de la Grande muraille de Chine 2013
      • 16. Marathon de la Route du Louvre 2013
      • 15. Marathon de Genève 2013
      • 14. Marathon de Sénart 2013
      • 13. Marathon de Madrid 2013
      • 12. Marathon de Londres 2013
      • 11. Marathon de Rotterdam 2013
      • 10. Marathon de Paris 2013
      • 9. Marathon de Marseille 2013
      • 8. Marathon de Rome 2013
      • 7.2013 Bienwald Marathon
      • 6. 2013 Treviso Marathon
      • 5. Marathon de Séville 2013
      • 4. Marathon de la Saint Valentin (Terni, Italie) 2013
      • 3. Marathon de Marrakech 2013
      • 2. Marathon de Gran Canaria (Iles Canaries) 2013
      • 1. Marathon du Nouvel An (Zurich) 2013
    • 2012 >
      • 1. Marathon de Miami 2012
      • 2. Marathon de la Nouvelle-Orléans 2012
      • 3. Marathon de Los Angeles 2012
      • 4. Marathon de Boston 2012
      • 5. Marathon de Nashville 2012
      • 6. Marathon de Seattle 2012
      • 7. Marathon de San Francisco 2012
      • 8. Marathon d'Helsinki 2012
      • 9. Marathon de Berlin 2012
      • 10. Marathon de La Rochelle 2012
      • 11. Marathon de Lisbonne 2012
      • 12. Marathon de Pise 2012
    • 2011 >
      • 1. Marathon de Paris 2011
      • 2. Marathon de Mississauga (Canada) 2011
      • 3. Marathon de Carmel (Indiana, Usa) 2011
      • 4. Marathon de Marquette (Michigan, Usa) 2011
      • 5. Marathon de Chicago 2011
      • 6. Marathon de Las Vegas 2011
    • 2010.10.10 Chicago Marathon/My First Marathon
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • ARS
    • The 2020 Absurdistan Running Series (ARS)
  • 1/2 Marathons
    • 2018-08-18 Azeri Marathon and Half Marathon - Azerbaidjan
    • 2018 Suriname Half Marathon
    • 2016 BIg 25 Berlin (25 km)
    • 2016 Semi-marathon de Paris
    • 2015 Penguin Half Marathon (King George Island, Antarctica)
    • 7 Half Marathons in the US
  • Archives
    • 2018 Brazilian Carnival Party
    • 1715-2015 La Louis XIV (14km)
    • 2015 Paris Saint-Germain-en-Laye La course (20km)
    • Le marathon-relais (Ekiden) de Val de Marne 2014 New
    • Tierra del Fuego
    • Les résidences estivales des manchots de Magellan
    • Torres del Paine
    • Antarctica Chinstrap Penguins
  • Running Human
  • 681 km à pied, ça use le corps et les souliers
  • Le Running Human
  • The Global Marathon Against Pandemics
  • Un marathon pour la santé
  • Le marathon est fatal aux maladies chroniques
  • Coping With the Coronavirus
  • Salvation Is in Our Human Roots
  • The Missed Benefits of COVID-19
  • Pathetic Homo sapiens
  • Stop Deforestation
  • Humans Were Happy Social Beings
  • Interview by Radio Canada

The Running Pioneers and the Imposters

By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
 
The Running Pioneers

The running pioneers are those early humans who developed the abilities for long-distance running 3 million years ago—not the white males who pretended to reinvent the wheel in 1896.

A self-proclaimed “running pioneer” claimed that he was “running marathons in countries before I was born,” i.e. before he turned 11, a dubious “achievement” for such a young boy in the pre-aviation era and when only few countries—namely Japan, South Korea, Slovakia, South Africa, the UK and the US—were organizing marathons. The running pioneers are those humble individuals of early human species that around three million years ago went from zero to developing the abilities for long-distance running, i.e. persistence hunting, which is the most extraordinary human achievement and the mother of all human achievements.
 
They not only developed the abilities and the best technique for fair hunting—no cheating with weapons—but also regularly chased the animals for food to ensure the survival of human species. We should therefore be grateful to them for their achievements and for leaving us an inhabitable planet and exceptional abilities to run “marathons.”
 
These inherited exceptional abilities mean that running a marathon should never be about bragging rights or social recognition, but humbly about enjoying our hunter-gatherer moment while building fitness and happiness, and preventing obesity, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, stress and other chronic diseases, instead of seeking delight or the meaning of life in addictions to food, legal or illegal psychotropic drugs, wealth, cruelty, political power, etc.
 
The Arrogant Imposters
 
When I left a marathon club because of their incoherent definition of countries, the grumpy president of the club misguidedly felt entitled to lecture me about running pioneers and even French geography in two emails: “You should always check the facts. The pioneers of the club were much wiser and running marathons in countries before you were born. I have a problem understanding your ignorance of this fact: Paris and Marseille are regions...”
 
Well, regarding his “problem understanding my ignorance,” I’d expect him to know at least what Paris is: Any French high school student can tell him that Paris and Marseille are cities—not regions. Paris is one of the cities of the region Île-de-France, and Marseille is in the region Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.
The marathon is an instinctive repackaging of persistence hunting by dominant white males who in 1896 deceptively or ignorantly pretended to reinvent the wheel, and banned even their mothers, sisters and daughters from participating in a marathon for over 70 years. They fallaciously portrayed themselves as the few exceptional humans who can run 42.2 km (26.2 miles), and stupidly ruled that “women were not physically capable of running a marathon.”
 
The role of their sisters at Wellesley College was to cheer on them halfway of the Boston Marathon, a tradition that’s still going on, although the women conquered their right to run marathon over 40 years ago.
 
The dominant white males first panicked at the 1960 Olympic Marathon in Rome when they realized that a black barefoot runner--Abebe Bikila from Ethiopia—was about to beat and humiliate them, which he did. Look in the following photo at the contrast between their desperate faces and the cool Abebe Bikila “stalking” them in the streets of the Italian capital.
Picture
Abebe Bikila “stalking” five desperate competitors—see their faces—at the 1960 Olympic Marathon.
The coup de grace came a century after the first marathon when young runners from East Africa became the elites, prompting the losers to invent “speed genes” to justify their humiliation, and desperately create exclusive running clubs for the rich: seven continents clubs, 100 marathons clubs, etc. Some indulge in cheating to inflate their “performance,” beat a time limit, increase the number of their marathons or countries, etc.
 
Humans are a hunter-gatherer species, which means the “modern” marathoner is simply a hunter-gatherer individual knowingly or instinctively practicing persistence hunting. Sadly, current humans are so brainwashed that many still think that only exceptional humans can run a marathon, even for instance when over 52,000 runners—including a 93-year-old man and an 83-year-old woman completed the 2023 Paris Marathon. Homo sapiens has evolved into Homo stultus.
 
The Rational Indicators of Runners’ Performance
 
Persistence hunting was a collective and non-competitive human activity for survival. Catching the animal was their motivation. There was no reason and no room for cheating.
 
Since nowadays marathoners enjoy easy access to food with the risk of developing obesity, dementia and other diseases, the rational indicators of running performance are their physical and mental health and their fitness relative their age—not deserved or cheated records, certificates or rankings.
 
In a parody of British and French colonial manners in Africa, British businessmen carried in a sedan chair—with another white man holding a sunshade—Ugandan president Idi Amin in 1975 from his residence to a meeting of the Organization of African Unity in Kampala.

“I think you have heard I was being carried at 258 pounds (117 kg) by 19 people who managed to carry me 11.5 miles, and they were very tired,” Amin later quipped.
 
Cars, trains, buses, electric scooters, electric bikes, etc., have replaced the colonial sedan chairs, but contrary to widespread belief, our hunter-gatherer body is designed for long-distance running and walking—not for physical inactivity and motorized locomotion, nor for the consumption of psychotropic drugs (tobacco, alcohol or other drugs), hence the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, including obesity, high blood pressure, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, dementia, fatigue, insomnia, stress, depression and vulnerability to pandemics.
 
In short, doing many marathons and staying away from psychotropic drugs are the key to preventing these chronic diseases and the loss of physical and mental abilities: the popular post-race beer or wine is not good for the brain cells nor for heart cells or other cells.
Picture
British businessmen carrying in a sedan chair the overweight Ugandan president Idi Amin to a conference center in 1975
My book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).