Running shoes do not have too long of a history, with the first pair being developed around 200 years ago. They were initially made from leather and each decade brought a number of changes, such as the rubber soles and spikes. Companies began manufacturing sneakers in the 1930s, with running shoes being used by athletes from all over the world and in major competitions, including the Olympics. In the 1970s, Bill Bowerman, the co-founder of Nike, one of the major names in the industry, changed the world of the running shoe forever. And it all started with a waffle iron.