A new fashion for “pedestrianism,” or competitive walking, emerged in the early 1800s, and by the middle of the century, competitive running had also grown in popularity, with most of its serious participants still wearing leather shoes.

This pair, thought to be the oldest extant example, resembles men’s dress shoes of the period with the exception of the spikes on the soles, which give away their true purpose. The broad band of leather across the instep, added for support, also indicates their use in sport.