Modern marathon feats can be traced back to hunting practices of human ancestors

A key hunting strategy honed by ancient human ancestors enables modern athletes to endure running long distances, according to a new study published ahead of the Paris Olympics marathon.

While humans are not the best sprinters in the animal kingdom, they are excellent at endurance running.

Our running muscles are dominated by slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant fibres with the ability to sweat and dissipate heat. This enables us to run steadily for long distances even in hot weather.

Traits enabling endurance running appeared in our ancestors some two million years ago, previous research shows, and “may have been instrumental” in the evolution of our body form. These traits enabled hunters to relentlessly pursue prey until it was overcome by exhaustion.

In the latest study, researchers assessed around 400 descriptions of hunts dating from 1527AD through the early 20th century from 272 places across the world.

They found that chasing prey to exhaustion was one of the most successful tactics, especially in hot weather and snowy conditions. They also found cases of hunting teams employing social tactics.

“We also have cases where there’s an individual who will climb a hill nearby and use hand signals to indicate where the animal is going, so the person following can take shortcuts and save energy,” Bruce Winterhalder, study co-author from the University of California Davis, said.

For early humans who did not yet have ballistic weaponry like bows and arrows, endurance hunting brought significant advantages, researchers said.

Showing tactical athletic prowess was also a way to elevate their social status and chances of finding mates.

Scientists said further research could help reveal more about the origins of the human running gait and the satisfying feeling of “runner’s high”.

“To run long distances, to have an evolved gait that’s uniquely imbued with stamina is unusual in the animal world. If that inspires you to go for a run, great,” Dr Winterhalder said.

The 2024 Paris Olympics could push this human ability further with what is touted to be the most gruelling marathon track ever.

The marathon, unlike at some of the recent Olympics, does not have a circuit of repeated loops. There’s a full loop instead from Paris down to Versailles outside of the city, with three uphill stretches that are very steep and long.

The course follows a historical path taken by thousands of marching men and women in October 1789 that made King Louis XVI ratify the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens.