The Magic of International Marathon Events

Marathon running is a beloved race distance for dedicated runners around the world. From amateur runners to seasoned marathoners, the marathon is a race that draws individuals looking to check off an impressive bucket list goal and those who strive to improve hebervalleymarathon their personal best time. As runners train for the race, logging mile after mile, they can’t help but have at least a fleeting thought of marathon history and its origin and development.

The history of the marathon is rich and storied. It begins some 2,500 years ago, in the city of Marathon, Greece. The origins of the marathon date back to 490 BC, where the Persian Empire deployed a massive fleet of soldiers to attack the much smaller Athenian army. Despite the odds, the Athenians prevailed, and this victory is where the story of the first marathon runner in history begins.

Marathon Events

Pheidippides, a herald, was summoned by the Athenian army to call for reinforcements from Sparta. He was tasked with running all the way from Marathon to Sparta (153 miles over rough terrain, including at least one notable mountain) and then back to return to Athens to deliver the news. According to the legend, upon arriving at the Acropolis in Athens, Pheidippides uttered something like “chairete, nikomen” (“hail, we are the winners”) and then immediately collapsed and died.

The distance from the battlefield in Marathon to the Acropolis in Athens was roughly 40 kilometers or 25 miles. Between the potential genesis of the marathon with Pheidippides’ heroic run in 490 BCE and the first official organized marathon race, some 1,500 years passed. The first competitive marathon wasn’t staged until just before the 1896 Olympics held in Athens, Greece. The 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, is considered the start of the modern era of the Olympics, and the first official marathon was 40 kilometers, or roughly 25 miles.

The idea of resurrecting the marathon distance and incorporating it into the revival of the Olympic Games was appealing and apropos to Baron Pierre de Coubertin. He was involved in the genesis of those first Olympics in the modern era and believed that sport made people stronger and built national character. De Coubertin set out to make sport mandatory in French schools and to create an international sporting event resembling the ancient Olympics.

In terms of the first marathon at those games, Michel Bréal, one of the delegates on the committee, was the man who championed the idea of having a long-distance race. He had read about the legend of Pheidippides and wrote in a letter to Coubertin in 1894, claiming the honor of sponsoring the marathon trophy. The Greek government was in favor of the Olympic Games as well as the marathon race as a means of bolstering national pride.

The first Olympic Marathon was a 40-km run from Marathon Bridge to the new stadium in Athens. Although the first organized marathon is usually cited to be the actual running at the event at the 1896 Olympic Games, a month before the race, a small Greek Championship event was held. In this foot race, 11 competitors ran from Marathon to Athens, completing what was then the marathon distance. Therefore, this was the first marathon ever.

The marathon distance remained at roughly 25 miles for the next few Olympic Games. However, the distance was changed to 26.2 miles for the 1908 Olympic Games in London. The race course needed to be extended to accommodate the British royal family, and the distance between the two points along the route clocked in at exactly 26 miles and 385 yards, which is how the marathon became 26.2 miles (the 0.2 is the 385 yards).

Today, international marathon events are held in various countries around the world. These events attract runners from different parts of the globe, creating a diverse and inclusive environment for all participants. The marathon has become a symbol of endurance and perseverance, inspiring runners to push their limits and achieve their goals.