24

30 Moments

in 30 Years That Have Changed Running

Look at a few photos from 1987, and you’ll realize how far running has come in 30 years. But what led to all those changes? In celebration of Competitor magazine’s 30th anniversary this month, we take a look at the biggest moments in the sport and the industry of running, and their impacts on the sport we love. By The Ed i tor s

1987 –

Jackie Joyner-Kersee becomes the first female runner to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. The three-time Olympic gold medalist in the heptathlon and long jump was voted the greatest female athlete of all-time, becoming an icon in women’s running history. The cover line next to her photo read “Super Woman.”

Nike releases the Air Max 1. This running shoe with the visible Air Sole became one of the Swoosh’s signature shoes. While its giant heel-toe drop eventually got passed by running design, the shoe is arguably the biggest crossover running shoe of all time; 30 years later it’s as popular as ever, as Nike releases new colorways and limited editions of the Air Max 1 every season.

1988 –

Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson tests positive for steroids in the Seoul Olympics. Many athletes in the Olympics, dating back to at least the 1970s, were suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs. But Ben Johnson’s bust, several days after a convincing gold-medal win over Carl Lewis, was the biggest bust ever. Other big busts have followed, but doping has been closely associated with running ever since.

CM0617_FEAT_30YEARS.indd 24

Team in Training is founded when runner Bruce Cleland gathered a team to run the New York City Marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in the name of his daughter, a leukemia survivor. Today, participants can train for several major marathons and receive coaching advice if they pledge to raise a certain amount of money. It launched a whole movement of charity training, which serves as a gateway for thousands of people into the sport of running.

5/11/17 5:13 PM