Concordia University - Portland CU Commons Undergraduate Theses Spring 2016 Endurance Running in the United States: A History of the 20th and Early 21st Century Luke Francis Ponnet Concordia University - Portland Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.cu-portland.edu/theses Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Ponnet, Luke Francis, "Endurance Running in the United States: A History of the 20th and Early 21st Century" (2016). Undergraduate Theses. 134. http://commons.cu-portland.edu/theses/134 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by CU Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Undergraduate Theses by an authorized administrator of CU Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Ponnet 2 Endurance Running in the United States: A History of the 20th and Early 21st Century A senior thesis submitted to The Department of Humanities College of Theology, Arts & Sciences In partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree in History by Luke Francis Ponnet Faculty Supervisor W-Z,S-(lo Dr. Gerd Horten Date Department Chair Dr. Ceiridwen Terrill Date Dean, College of Theology, Arts, & Sciences 4/d-1/N, J I Dr. David Kluth Date Provost Dr. Mark Wahlers Date Concordia University Portland, Oregon April, 2015 Ponnet 3 Abstract Endurance running is a unique niche of American culture, with its own components and history. It has significantly increased in participation over the last half century, which is what sparked my curiosity and interest. I investigate the history of endurance running through three chapters. In order for the reader to get acquainted with the sport and running community, I first focus on the history of three races.