The international history of retro running is so rich in human experiences and sports exploits that it deserves to be written... The Chinese have been practicing backward walking and backward running for thousands of years. They are the pioneers of this extraordinary way of life! Then backward running developed throughout the XXth century in United States where famous figures of American Sports were great promoters. We can quote among others: William Muldoon - World Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion, Gene Tuney -World Boxing Champion, Bill Robinson - Famous Tap-Dancer, Ed. Schultz - Athlete, Coach Al Feola - College of Fullerton, Horace Blackley, Gary Gray - Therapist who develops Retro Training as method of rehabilitation in his clinics, Pat Murphy - one of the great innovators of fitness in the United States in the 80's, Professors Barry Bates and Janet Dufek, and many other American Professors (Flynn, Arata, Soutas-Little, Amstrong, Devita, Ashley-Ross, Nadeau, ect). Then three people played a determining rule, Doctor Robert K. Stevenson in 1981 publishing: the first book: "Backwards Running" and Ron Austin, who did fantastic work for the promotion of Retro Runnning over many years and currently Bud Badyna, etc. Today, many retro running races are organized in Europe (Italy, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, etc). But also in the world (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Taiwan, United States, etc). Every month new races and events appear, providing a counterbalance to the blinkered rush of humankind, enabling us to step back and reflect differently. The 1st Backwards Walking Laughing, the 1st Reverse Running Film, The 3rd World Championship...

The emergence of backward walking/running is not a matter of chance, it is both a sign and the symbol that something “in the air” is becoming reversed. This new way of running announces the beginning of a new civilization. To reverse the most basic and common act of man, walking or running, is tantamount to touching his essence. What could be more effective than this simple exercise which will modify our view of everything? It can change our human relationships, our relationship to money, our conception of time, and at the social level can alter the face of our cities, our transportation and exchange systems, etc. At a time when an unprecedented human mutation is taking place before our very eyes, if practised as an exercise conducive to a change in our perceptions, the advent of backward running can bring down the certainties that underlie the general escapist movement. More than words can, a backward motion of our bodies will provoke a fundamental questioning of our commonest attitudes and bring about the social change that the urgency and gravity of the problems of our day require.

GUISEPPE ANGELI, PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN ASSOCIATION OF RETRO RUNNING

RAN BACKWARD WITH THE OLYMPIC TORCHLIGHT ( DECEMBER 2005)

BACKWARDS UNICYCLE RACE (2008) AUSTRALIA

2nd WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: 14 COUNTRIES (2008) ITALY

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (2008/2009)

PHILIPPINES (2009)

CALIFORNIA (2009)

BACKWARD WALK

BACKWARD TREADMILL

BACKWARD RUNNING LADIES (2009) U.S.A.

BACK WALK (2009) CHINA

BACK RUN (2009) INDIA

BACK RUNNING (USA)

BACK TRAINING (USA)

NORTH CAROLINA (USA)

BACKWARD DAY (USA)

RUN BACKWARD TO PROTECT OZONE LAYER (INDIA)

BACK RUNNING (USA)

BACKWARD MILE (USA)

BACK RUNNING DRILL

FIRENZE (2009) ITALY

BACK RUNNING (USA)

ALTERNATIVE WALK

MELBOURNE/AUSTRALIA

BACK WALK (CHINA)

RUN BACK (2009) U.S.A

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

BACK TRAINING (USA)

GAMBERO DI MARMO (2009) ITALY

POLVESE (2009) ITALY

VIGODARZERE (ITALY)

CARDIFF (2009) WALES

BACK TRAINING - TURKEY

FORWARD - BACKWARD TAI CHI (2009) CHINA

PURAN CHAND AT THE BEACH OF GOA (2009) INDIA

RUNNING BACKWARDS IN MOUNTAIN - SWITZERLAND

BACK TRAINING (USA)

18th GAMBERO D'ORO at POVIGLIO (2009) ITALY

13th GAMBERO D'ORO at PRATO (2009) ITALY

9th NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP at ALBIGNASEGO (2009) ITALY

7 th RETRO RUNNING RACE at CAMAIORE (2009) ITALY

3rd CHAMPIONSHIP-BORGHOLZHAUSEN (2009) GERMANY

3rd NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP at LUBLINIEC (2009) POLAND

1st WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN MOUNTAIN (2009) SWITZERLAND

KERSTIN METZLER ( LIECHTENSTEIN) RUN THE HALF-MARATHON IN 1 hour, 57 mn.

1st RETRO RUNNING HALF MARATHON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (2009) ITALY

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE RUN BACKWARDS
ALL AROUND THE WORLD

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WALK BACKWARDS
ALL AROUND THE WORLD

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD PRACTICE RETRO MOVEMENTS

2 May 2010 Frontignan (South of France)

THE FIRST BACKWARD WALKING LAUGHING

7/8 august 2010 (Kapfenberg, Austria)

The 3rd WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

REVERSEXERCISOPHIST by Backmantony (Taiwan)

14 august 2010 (Cork, Ireland)

THE PADDY GAMES

1st UK Backward Running Championships

The 1st Reverse Runner Film (Australia)

The 1st Reverse Runner Film from Australia (Facebook)

1. IRR-European Championship in Retrorunning (Facebook)

INTERNATIONAL SLOW LINKS

Associazione Italiana Retro Running Giuseppe Angeli (Italy)

International Retro Running Roland Wegner (Germany)

British Reverse Running Association James Bamber (United Kingdom)

Latvian Association of Running Backwards Bartek (Latvia)

Marcha Reversiva Association Pablo Galleto (Brazil)

Retro Locomotion Professor Barry Bates (United States)

ReversExerciSophist Backmantony (Taiwan)

The Paddy Games Colin Carroll (Ireland)

Eloge de la Lenteur Carl Honoré (Canada)

Slow Planet Faire moins, c'est Plus ! (International)

The World Institute of Slowness Geir Berthelsen (Norway)

Slow Down Now ! Institut Mondial du Faire Moins Christopher Richards (England)

Slow Food International (Italy) Slow Food (France) Slow Money (United States)

L’émergence de la marche arrière et de la course arrière n’est pas le fruit du hasard. C’est à la fois un signe et le symbole que quelque chose est en train de s’inverser. Cette nouvelle manière de marcher ou de courir annonce les prémices d’une nouvelle civilisation. Inverser l’acte le plus fondamental de l’homme et le plus fréquent, la marche, équivaut à toucher à son essence. Quoi de plus efficace que cet exercice simple qui va modifier notre regard posé sur toute chose? Il peut changer nos rapports humains, notre rapport à l’argent, notre conception du temps et, au niveau social, changer l’urbanisme, nos systèmes de transports et d’échanges, etc. A l’heure où se joue devant nos yeux une mutation humaine sans précédent, si elle est pratiquée en tant qu’exercice éducatif de nos changements de perception, l’avènement de la course arrière peut faire basculer les certitudes qui alimentent la fuite en avant généralisée. Le recul physique de nos corps est, mieux que les discours, capable d’engendrer une remise en cause fondamentale de nos attitudes les plus courantes et induire une évolution sociale à la mesure de l’urgence et de la gravité des problèmes contemporains.