How the 6-Day Race Became an American Spectator Obsession

In 1879, a crowd gathered outside Madison Square Garden to watch a unique event - a six-day race where athletes walked in circles for days at a time. This event was part of a popular sport in America at the time, competitive walking. The sport began with a bet between friends during the 1860 presidential election season, and it quickly gained popularity. Edward Payson Weston, the loser of the bet, turned his walk from Boston to Washington into an event, sending postcards to newspapers along the route and charging people to watch him walk. Weston's event was a success, and he started hosting long-distance walking events at roller skating rinks, charging people 10 cents to watch him walk in circles. As the sport grew, big communal halls were built to host these events, and people would pay to watch athletes walk for days. The races were incredibly long, with athletes walking up to 500 miles in six days, and spectators would drop in at any time to watch. The sport was popular because there were few other entertainment options at the time, and people found ways to make the races exciting, such as wagering on the outcome and enjoying music and food vendors. Despite its popularity, the sport's heyday was brief, and it was eventually replaced by baseball and bicycle racing. Today, six-day races can still be found, and some people even participate in ultra-marathon walking events.