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490 BCE
The Messenger
The marathon race is based on the story of the Greek warrior, Pheidippides, who ran from Marathon to Athens in Greece to alert the people of Athens of the victory over the invading Persian army during the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. After running the entire 25 miles without stopping, he told of the victory and then collapsed and died. References:
Nix, E. (2021, August 2). Why is a marathon 26.2 miles? History Channel. https://www.history.com/news/why-is-a-marathon-26-2-miles -
The First Modern Olympic Games
The first international Olympic games were held in Athens, Greece. The marathon race was a featured event and was the distance of 25 miles.
References:
Wikipedia. (2021, September 9). Marathon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon
Athens Olympic Stadium – site of the 1896 and 2004 Olympics (photo credit: Grammaticus Bramlington via photopin cc) -
Inaugural Boston Marathon Race
The city of Boston, Massachusetts hosted its first marathon one year after the first modern Olympics. The first Boston Marathon was a distance of 24.5 miles. The Boston Marathon continues to be held every year and is known for being the oldest and longest running marathon in the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEc0N2qljR4 References:
Boston Athletic Association. (n.d.) The history of the Boston Marathon. https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/history -
The Queen Extends the Distance of the Marathon
During the 1908 Olympics in London, Queen Alexandra requested that the distance be increased so that the marathon route would start at Windsor Castle and finish in front of the royal box at the Olympic Stadium. The distance was increased to 26.2 miles Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Marathon. https://www.britannica.com/sports/marathon-race Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@sabrinamazzeo -
New Official Distance
The Olympic Marathon distance was standardized to 26.2 miles and has remained that distance over time. References: Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Marathon. https://www.britannica.com/sports/marathon-race Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@capstoneeventgroup?utm_source=unsplas -
Olympic Record by Running Novice
Emil Zatopek set an Olympic record for running the marathon race in 2 hours 23 minutes and 3.2 seconds. He did this without ever having run the entire distance before!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c4Z8cbcIiA Reference
Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Marathon. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/sports/marathon-race Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@jennyhill?utm_source=unsplash -
The New York Marathon Allows Women to Register and Race
The New York Marathon was the first official US marathon to allow women to register and race for the marathon distance. References:
Jones, H. (n.d.). History of the marathon. Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. https://aims-worldrunning.org/articles/427.html
Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@nhoizey?utm_source=unsplash -
Youngest Person in US to Run a Marathon
Before the age limit of 18 years old was set for North American race entry, 8 year old Wesley Paul set the record for the youngest person to run a marathon in the US. He ran the NYC Marathon in 3 hours and 37 seconds. He went on to race and set new world records. References:
Tanenbaum, S. (2011, October 28). 26.2 Fun facts about marathons. Everyday Health. https://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness-pictures/fun-facts-about-marathons.aspx Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@greg_rosenke -
First Olympic Women's Marathon
Women finally were given a chance to compete in an Olympic marathon distance in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angelos, CA. The winner was Joan Benoit of the US. Wikipedia. (2021, September 13). 1984 Summer Olympics. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Summer_Olympics -
Brigid Kosgei-- Fasted Women Marathon Racer Ever!
Brigid Kosgei from Kenya broke the women's marathon world record at the 2019 Chicago Marathon. Her time was 2 hours and 14 minutes and 4 seconds. She is the first female to run the marathon in under 2 hours and 15 min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn3y50MRGjY Suggitt, C. (2019, October 14). Brigid Kosgei smashes Paula Radcliffe's 16-year marathon record. Guiness World Records.https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2019/10/brigid-kosgei-sets-new-record-for-womens-fastest-marathon-595061