By Davy Crockett
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The original walkathons were not the relatively tame fundraising walks of the 1970s for causes. Instead these walkathons were brutal endurance events that had their heyday in the mid-1930s. These walkathons were not ultrarunning events. They were rather twisted walking events, if it could even be called walking. They were mostly a crazy test of enduring sleep deprivation. But still, it is important to understand the history of these competitions, because they had a negative impact on true extreme endurance sports such as ultrarunning in the minds of Americans for future decades.

The Walkathon was believed to be invented in America, in 1913, at Terra Haute, Indiana. Achieving miles was not the objective. The goal for the walkathon was to survive for weeks and to be the last one standing.

The walkathons were similar to the more despised dance marathons of that time. Both involved couples. The difference was that the walkathon contestants walked instead of danced. Because the name referred to walking, they didn’t carry the stigma of that time against dancing in many areas of the country. These contests were held in halls, playhouses, theaters, fairgrounds, and tents where participants walked nearly non-stop for days, weeks, and even months. Most walkers were quite young and they shuffled along with the hope of obtaining large prize money. Walkathons became big business because they attracted a huge number of spectators who were thrilled to witness suffering and to cheer their favorite couple. Thousands, and even tens of thousands of curious onlookers would pay 25-50 cents to watch the carnage as long as they pleased. The walkathons were so popular that they were even regularly broadcast multiple times per day by radio stations.

Rules

During a rest period, cots were brought out on the floor in front of the crowds. Contestants sleep or get treatment.

Rules varied and could be changed mid-stream. In order to have an event last for weeks, generally after the first three hours, rests were given each hour. For example at a 1932 walkathon in Oregon, contestants would walk for 45 minutes, and then rest/sleep 11 minutes off stage. They would come back out at the sound of a gong or airhorn and then sit in front of the audience for four minutes getting ready for the next hour. Sometimes during the evenings, cots were brought out onto the floor in front of the crowds and walkers were forced to stay on the floor to rest and sleep.

Man shaves while walking

Couples walked together and could hold each other up when things got rough. One verteran contestant would hold his partner up for four hours while she slept on her feet. When rest periods came, they gained the skill of being able to fall asleep within ten seconds. If one member of the couple dropped (literally) out, the other person could continue for a time “solo” with the disadvantage of not being aided by another person. When another person of the opposite sex became available because their team member was also out, the two could team up as a new couple. Dancing was sometimes allowed among the contestants during hours stipulated by the state law and city ordinances. (Des Moines Register, Sep 1, 1929).

The promoters took their events to various cities, renting halls and seeking entrants. One took his walkathon to Europe with a traveling company. Overseas, spectators wanted them to be even faster and more furious. When the company returned they brought home a new feature to the walkathon that was embraced by all of the promoters. The new feature was a daily one-hour “derby,” that spiced things up. In the evenings a derby would be used to thrill the spectators and further test the walkers even more. The “sprint” derby was popular which required the walking couple to cover a certain number of laps in a given time. Contestants often won prizes for being the best in the derby.