In 1965 Y. Hatano created a pedometer based on the concept of 10,000 steps a day (what manpo-kei roughly translates to). It wasn't until 20 years later in 1985 when the research was finally accepted as being scientifically sound that 10,000 steps a day is the rough approximation for which humans experience health benefits from walking.
Racewalking is introduced as an Olympic sport following pedestrianism's popularity where a "fair heel and toe rule" is established meaning a heel must be on the ground before a toe can leave, resulting in the half-walk half-jog gait now commonly associated with the sport.
Pedestrianism enters the modern lexicon as a popular sport for betting who can walk the longest, fastest, and still keep the proper gait.
According to fossilized footprints, it's likely that humans were walking similar to how we do today about 1.5 million years ago. No wonder we like it so much!