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the history of the marathon "If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon." Emil Zatopek
When Athenian troops defeated a much larger Persian
army on the plain of Marathon in 490 B.C., about 25 miles from Athens, Pheidippides,
a soldier in the Athenian army,
ran to Athens bringing news of a Greek victory over the Persians. Legend has it that Pheidippides delivered the momentous message, "victory" or "Niki", then he dropped dead thereby setting a precedent for dramatic finishes to the Marathon. When the modern Olympic Games were were first held in 1896 in Greece, the legend of Pheidippides was revived by a 24.85 mile (40,000 meters) run from Marathon Bridge to the Olympic stadium in Athens. The marathon is traditionally the last event in the Olympics, the first organized marathon on April 10, 1896 was especially important to all Greeks. Greece was hosting the Games. The Greeks had not won a medal, and had one last chance to bring glory to their country. 25 runners assembled on Marathon Bridge. The starter mumbled a few words and fired the gun, and the race was on. |
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"The excitement of the crowd waiting at the finish line at the newly constructed replica of Athens' ancient stadium was beyond belief" writes the Greek historian Quercetani. Spiridon Louis, a Greek postal worker from the village of Marusi and veteran of several long military marches, crossed the finish line a full 7 minutes ahead of the pack. His time was 2 hours, 58 minutes, 50 seconds for the forty kilometer distance (average pace of 7:11 minutes per mile). When it was all over 9 runners finished, eight of them were Greeks. The host country was ecstatic, and the marathon was born. The USA was one of nine countries at the 1896 Athens Olympics, thanks to sponsorship of athletes by the Boston Athletic Association. Middle distance runner Arthur Blake was the only American citizen to enter the 1st marathon. |
Blake won a silver medal in the 1500 meters three days before the marathon but unfortunately this left him very fatigued and he dropped out after about 14.5 miles. Planning for America's 1st marathon began on the ship back to the USA. The 1st annual Boston Athletic Association marathon was conducted on April 19, 1897, the date chosen to commemorate the famous ride of Paul Revere in 1775.
At the 1908 Olympic Games in London, the marathon distance was changed to twenty six miles to cover the ground from Windsor Castle to White City stadium, with 385 yards added on so the race could finish in front of royal family's viewing box. This added two miles to the course, and is the origin of the Marathon tradition of shouting "God save the Queen!" (or other words relating to the Queen) as mile post twenty four is passed. After 16 years of extremely heated discussion, this 26.2 mile distance was established at the 1924 Olympics in Paris as the official marathon distance.
Today, marathons have become a running tradition throughout the world. Yet the annual Marathon at Athens, where it all began, has a tradition and an appeal like no other. In 1996, the 100th anniversary of the modern Athens Marathon, more than three thousand runners from all over the world gathered to run along the path taken by Pheidippides.
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