The boom attracted women and individuals in minority communities, but studies from the time showed that participants in running races were most commonly university-educated men in white-collar occupations.
[1][6] Growth in jogging began in the late 1960s,[1] building on a post-World War II trend towards non-organized, individualistic, health-oriented physical and recreational activities.
[15][16] Frank Shorter's victory in the men's marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics is credited with inspiring the running boom in the United States.
The victory was covered by ABC, including dramatic coverage of the finish, when a German imposter ran into the stadium ahead of Shorter.
[22] Serving as guest color commentator was writer Erich Segal, who called out over the airwaves (but obviously inaudible to Shorter) "It's a fraud, Frank.
Female pioneers in the United States including Kathrine Switzer, Jacqueline Hansen and Miki Gorman led other women to believe they could run seriously.
Mary Decker, Francie Larrieu and Norway's Grete Waitz were all part of a phenomenon that culminated in Joan Benoit's 1984 Olympic Marathon victory, which itself inspired more women to run.
Many academic institutions used running sports like cross country and track and field for women to help numerically offset the number of players on their economically lucrative football teams.
[35] While the boom attracted women and individuals in minority communities, studies from the time showed that participants in running races were most commonly university-educated men in white-collar occupations.