PEDESTRIANISM; OR, AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERFORMANCES OF CELEBRATED PEDESTRIAINS DURING THE LAST AND PRESENT CENTURY

ATTRACTIVE STRAIGHT-GRAINED RED MOROCCO BY HATCHARDS (stamp-signed in gilt on front turn-in), covers with French fillet border, raised bands, compartments ruled in gilt, gilt lettering, upper edge gilt (fore-edge untrimmed, lower edge trimmed on the rough). With frontispiece portrait of Captain Barclay "in his Walking dress." Front pastedown with armorial bookplate. ◆Frontispiece a little browned, with offsetting to title, occasional small spot or stain elsewhere, but A FINE COPY--particularly clean and bright, with extremely comfortable margins, and in an unworn, lustrous binding.

This work celebrates the 19th century phenomenon known as "pedestrianism" (also referred to as competitive walking or pedestrian racing), in which contestants would walk extraordinary distances over hours or even days. Pedestrian matches often took place in front of large groups of spectators for huge sums of money, causing intense rivalries, dramatic feats, and much gambling. The text primarily focuses on the remarkable achievements of Robert Barclay Allardice (1779-1854), commonly known as Captain Barclay, who was among the earliest and most renowned competitive walkers of his time. A man of extraordinary strength and endurance, Barclay took part in a number of impressive matches, the most famous of which was his walking a mile an hour for 1,000 straight hours. This achievement took him nearly six weeks to complete, and his journal for this period, which notes the hour, start and stop times, minutes per mile, and, curiously, the weather, is reproduced in full in the present work. In addition to detailing his most famous performances and favorite pursuits, the book also contains a section on training for pedestrianism, written by Barclay himself. The popularity of pedestrianism waned in the 20th century, but the present work, beautifully bound and in wonderful condition, is a charming and surprisingly engaging tribute to its heyday..