The history of the marathon

The marathon is one of the most iconic sporting events in the world, and it has a fascinating history that spans centuries. From its humble beginnings in ancient Greece to its current status as a global athletic event, the marathon has evolved over time, and has become a significant cultural event in many communities.

The origin of the marathon can be traced back to ancient Greece, where the legendary runner Pheidippides is said to have run from the city of Marathon to Athens to deliver news of a military victory over the Persians. The distance he covered was approximately 26 miles (42.195 km), and his feat has been immortalized in history and legend as the first marathon.

The modern marathon as we know it today owes its origins to the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896. The organizers of the games wanted to include a long-distance running event, and they settled on a race that would cover the distance between Marathon and Athens. The distance was officially standardized at 26.2 miles (42.195 km) in 1908, and it has remained the standard distance for the marathon ever since.

Over the years, the marathon has grown in popularity and has become an iconic event in the world of athletics. Today, marathons are held all over the world, with thousands of runners taking part in races that range from small, local events to the most prestigious and high-profile races such as the Boston Marathon (which I ran in 2022) and the New York City Marathon (which I ran for the first time in 2021). These races (in addition to the other four below) make up the six “world majors”:

1. The Boston Marathon is one of the oldest and most prestigious marathons in the world, held annually on Patriots’ Day in Boston, Massachusetts. It was first run in 1897.
2. The London Marathon was first run in 1981 and is one of the largest charity fundraising events globally.
3. The Tokyo Marathon was first held in 2007 making it the most recently established marathon of the 6 world majors.
4. The Berlin Marathon is held annually in Germany and was first run in 1974.
5. The Chicago Marathon was first run in 1977 in Chicago, Illinois.
6. The New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world, with over 50,000 runners each year and was first run in 1970.

As mentioned above, marathons are a great platform for charity fundraising, with many runners using the event to raise money for a variety of causes. Some of the world’s largest marathons, such as the London Marathon and the New York City Marathon, have raised millions of dollars for charities over the years, and the event has become a way for runners to make a positive impact in the world. For example, in their FY22 report, the New York Road Runners (the organizing body of the NYC Marathon), detailed that runners raised over $50 Million in support of various charitable causes.