The current marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards) was first used at the 1908 London Olympics and became the standard from 1924.
Did you know that the long-distance running race called ‘marathon’ was introduced at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896 to commemorate the run of the Greek courier who ran the 39 kilometres (24.3 miles) from Marathon to Athens in 490 BC with the news of a Greek victory over the Persian army?
The current marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards) was first used at the 1908 London Olympics and became the standard from 1924.
The marathon race is now a popular event for the non-competitive enthusiast, with many thousands taking part in various marathons organised in several cities around the world. It was supplemented in the 1980s by the half-marathon, run over a distance of 21 kilometres (13.1 miles).
Among the most popular and well-publicised annual marathons are those run in New York City, Boston (the oldest in the world) and London. In India, marathon races now figure in the sporting calendars of cities like Mumbai (this year’s race was run in January), Delhi and Chennai.
Nepal hosts the Mt Everest Challenge Marathon, which combines sightseeing in Kathmandu with a hard trek to the Everest region. In China, the ‘Great Wall Marathon’ and ‘Half Marathon’ is held in the picturesque surroundings of Tianjin province.
The Great Wall Marathon is a demanding course with exhausting ascents, steep descents and some 3,700 steps to contend with. The Half Marathon course takes runners on the Great Wall and through scenic spots surrounding it.
In Africa, the Kilimanjaro Marathon in Tanzania is run annually on the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro. It is described as one of the world’s most scenic races.
The Boston Marathon in the US state of Massachusetts has been run annually since 1897. The longest-lasting major marathon in the world, it is held on the third Monday in April (this year’s race was on April 16).
