Marathon A Long-Distance Running Event

When the idea of the modern Olympic Games, the reality was the end of the 19th century, the initiators and organizers were looking for a big demonstration on popularizing, referring to the former glory Greece.The Greece has stage a race in the selection of Olympic marathon, and this first marathon which he won, Charilaos Vasilakos was 3 hours and 18 minutes (with the future winner of the first next Olympics marathon fifth). The winner of the first Olympic marathon in 1896 (one male race only) was Spiridon "Spiros Louis, a Greek operator of water. He won the Olympics in 2 hours 58 minutes and 50 seconds.

The marathon is a long-distance running event with a distance of 42195 official km (26 miles 385 yards), is a general rule, operate as street racing. The event is named after the legendary race of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger of the Battle of Marathon to Athens. The historical accuracy of this legend is in doubt, contradicted accounts by Herodotus, in particular.

The marathon was one of the first modern Olympic games, demonstrations in 1896, when the distance is not normalized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are attacked throughout the world each year, the vast majority of competitors, recreational sports. The major marathons that can have tens of thousands of participants.