My project has changed topics and directions. Now, I will be focusing on how running became a craze, via two running booms, in the United States, starting in the 1970s until today. Then I will compare how the running culture coincides with the technology offered to runners via shoes and how that has changed/evolved through the craze. I am looking for a relationship between shoe running technology and the core ideologies of technology in the United States. I will be taking all of these findings and compare it to the jogging culture in Japan. I will look in this culture for how shoe technology is advertised. Then I will try and find if this reflects broader trends of technology in Japan. And show distinctions between the two countries.
Running becomes an elite, competitive sport in the 1970s. My research has shown that the first running boom in the United States began when Frank Shorter, an American, won the gold for the Olympic Marathon at the Munich Games in 1972. Interest in running was sparked by his win. The initial movement involved competitive elite runners, running for time.
James Fixx’s book “The Complete Book of Running” is also cited as the beginning of the running boom. It was published 1977. in He told he NY times that is was “the right book for the right time” (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/books/review/InsideList-t.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=jogging+craze&st=nyt). This may have reached more people about what running was all about and influenced participation.
It is also important to note the history of the Boston Marathon. The first marathon was in 1897. (http://www.boston.com/marathon/history/). Competitive running, long distance did have a small place in the United States. According to marathonguide.com, a group of Americans from Boston who were competing in the Olympic Games in Athens, 1896, were excited about the marathon event and then established the Boston Marathon. Another very interesting aspect of the Boston Marathon is that women were not “officially acknowledged” in the race until 1972. Also, there was no Olympic Marathon for women until the summer games in Los Angeles, 1984 (http://www.marathonguide.com/history/olympicmarathons/chapter26.cfm).
Rise in women runners is one component of the second boom in running, which is the time we are currently in. The second boom began in the mid 1990s. It could be marked with Oprah Winfrey’s marathon and cover on Runners World in 1995. “If Oprah can do, so can you!”. The runners have changed and the reasons for running have also changed that what defined running in the 70s. This is most definitely reflective in running gear: running shoes. I feel confident in this hypothesis because running shoes and advertisements have changed. I am still working to show this change.
I think running technology began simply as a way for runners to perform “better”. Once running reached more people and the reasons for running increased: for fun, exercise and weight loss, just to name a few.. .then companies began joining the run. I am still in the process of analyzing the technologic aspect.
Japan is a very interesting comparison and I am still working on making a connection. But Japan’s jogging craze is very recent, 2007, and the reasons for running seem to be linked directly to the current reasons Americans are running today.
“ There's not a running boom, there's a running shoe boom, '' said Marty Kaufmann, footwear editor of Sportstyle, a New York trade magazine”. (http://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/28/sports/new-running-boom-is-much-more-low-key.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm)
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ReplyDeleteThis is such a creative topic! It is really applicable to your audience because at Cal Poly especially, everyone is very active and physically fit. The first idea that came to mind was Nike. Nike has become one, if not the largest active wear company in the world. I have seen advertisements for Nike that state that their technology is the same as aerospace engineering. It would be interesting to look at if these comments are true of their engineering of the shoes? Or possibly does Nike provide the same type of quality engineering of running shoes in the Japan as they do in the United States? In general it would also be interesting to view how much of the advertisements for running shoes is marketed toward men in women in both the United States and of Japan and how the numbers have fluctuated over time. Now that running has become available virtually to anyone because of treadmills, it would interesting to see if there are certain areas of both the United States and Japan that run more than others. My guess would be that in cities such as Los Angeles and New York City, who pay close attention to physical appearance, would be in shape and run more than others. These are just a few ideas that may help you with your research. I am actually really curious myself to hear about your project, can’t wait!
ReplyDeleteMandy, I am so excited you chose this topic! It's so coincidental because a few weeks ago I randomly asked my roommates when and how running became a sport and a form of exercise. I guess I was just wondering how a form of transportation became a hobby and extracurricular activity. I think it would also be interesting if you look at the history of shoes, like what the Greek wore to what running shoes look like now with the use of technology to satisfy comfort and durability. I think it would be interesting to find out if people in Japan ever ran for transportation or mail delivering etc. and see if they wore a certain type of shoe while running. And you were talking about looking at advertisements, I think that would be very interesting to compare an advertisement for running shoes and apparel in United States compared to advertisements in Japan. Good luck on your project!
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