Walkers through time...
Weston the Walker: He popularized Pedestrianism
Edward Payson Weston, 1839-1929, set out to prove walking could actually make a man "improve with age and never go stale." By age 90, he had made his point.
Along the way, Weston caught the public fancy, as he lead the world at pacing off the miles. In 1861, at age 22, Weston set out to walk from Boston to Washington in ten days. He missed his mark by half a day, but the nation embraced him.
As Weston's treks increased, with Weston walking day and night across the country, he gained the nickname "The Yankee Clipper." In conjunction with his crosscountry walks, Weston gave lectures and appeared at county fairs.
Weston the Walker's fame grew, and by 1871, the world saw Weston break all records by walking 400 miles in four days, 23 hours, and 32 minutes. That's 80 miles a day!
After a tour of Europe in 1879 where he beat England's best walker, "Blower" Brown, the world's most notable pedestrian promised to walk 50 miles a day for 100 days. He did so, capping each day's walking off with a lecture.
Throughout his life Weston the Walker was a professional pedestrian of the highest order. At 70 he broke a world record by walking 512 miles in 12 days. At 74 he walked 1500 miles from New York to Minneapolis in 60 days. Three hundred thousand showed up in Minnesota to cheer him.
Edward Payson Weston died in his sleep at 93, after having given proof, as he once said, "that the race is not to the swift."
Weston the Walker:
Robert Barclay: 1000 miles in 1000 hours
Phenomenal walking feats reached their golden age in England during the 18th and early 19th centuries, when walking had its popular super heroes, much as sports do today. One of these was a rugged gentleman farmer, Robert "Captain" Barclay, who in 1779 flourished in a society dedicated to sports and gaming. At 6-feet, 3-inches tall and 200 pounds, this strapping strongman and fistfighter amused the gentry with such stunts as raising 1,176 pounds, and once lifted a 240-pound man in the palm of one hand.
But it was as a pedestrian that Captain Barclay truly excelled. A man who loved to make wagers on his skills, in 1801 he won the equivalent of $13,000 by hiking the 90 miles between the cities of Hull and York.
Six years later, Barclay challenged the world-champion walker of his time, Abraham Wood, in a contest for the greatest distance travelled in 25 hours. The walking race started from New Market on October 12, 1807. Wood shot out of the New Market like a streak. Six hours and 40 miles later, he collapsed, while Barclay stepped right along at a steady 6 mile-per-hour slip to become a local hero.
Barclay now felt he needed a bigger challenge. The idea of walking 1000 miles in 1000 hours caught his imagination.
It had been attempted, but without success. So June 1, 1809, was set as the date. A half-mile track at New Market was the place. Barclay placed a $15,000 bet on his ability to carry off 42 days of continuous walking, with tiny fractions of sleep between miles. Betting fever shot up, thousands came to the course, and about $2.5 million was wagered by the crowds.
Barclay took of around the track dramatically on the stroke of midnight. Just before the event, he'd eaten four large meals of beef, fowl, mutton, and bread, not to mention draught upon draught of strong ale and port.
After the first weeks of winds, dust, and rain, Barclay was in constant pain. Leg cramps gripped him severely. A toothache struck adding to his misery. More rains fell. Barclay wa in an excruciating fog.
Doubt swept the ranks of those who had put money on the fabled man of iron, as Barclay's condition became more obvious by the day. He limped, he groaned and began to waver unevenly in his courses around the track. things would worsen.
Eight days before the end, Barclay was forced to be lifted by others from his chair onto the track. Four days before the finish, he could no longer eat. He cried with pain.
Then on, on the 40th day, Barclay suddenly took on an unbelievable new glow of strength.
On the last night Newcastle was a dense throng of spectators. Barclay darted across the finish line, then was off to get a hot bath with spring still left in his step, although he was 32 pounds lighter.
Barclay spent another 45 years on his feet, eventually to die from the kick of a horse.
Robert Barclay:
