When was running invented? Updated: 5 Feb 2021, 10:01 LOVE it or hate it, running is a great way to keep fit and in shape. But we rarely stop and think about where the idea of running actually came from. Who was the first person to think it up? 8 Human beings and other land animals have had the capability to run for hundreds of millions of yearsCredit: Getty When was running invented? Running wasn’t invented so much as it is something most of us can do - albeit some considerably better than others - but certain uses for running have become established.