Marathon

A long-distance footrace over 42.195 kilometres (26 miles 385 yards), usually run on roads. The distance became standard in 1921.

Marathon world record progression: The sequence of officially recognized fastest performances in the marathon. Record times show how training, shoes, and race conditions have changed the event.
Battle of Marathon: A 490 BCE battle in which Athenians and Plataeans defeated a Persian force near Marathon, Greece. The race's name and founding legend draw on this battle.
Spyridon Louis: A Greek water carrier who won the marathon at the 1896 Olympic Games. His victory made him the first Olympic marathon champion.
Boston Marathon: An annual marathon first held in 1897 and one of the world's oldest continuously run marathons. It is a prominent race with qualification standards for many entrants.
Half marathon: A road race covering 21.0975 kilometres, exactly half the marathon distance. Its shorter distance retains endurance demands without requiring the full marathon commitment.
Pacing strategy: A plan for distributing effort or speed across an endurance race. Even pacing helps marathoners limit fatigue and avoid slowing sharply late in the race.
Herodotus: An ancient Greek historian whose work narrates the Greco-Persian Wars. His account of the battle differs from the later story of a messenger running to Athens.
Dorando Pietri: An Italian runner who collapsed repeatedly near the finish of the 1908 Olympic marathon and was disqualified after receiving help. His dramatic finish brought worldwide attention to the event.
New York City Marathon: An annual marathon that runs through all five boroughs of New York City. Its large field illustrates the marathon's scale as a mass-participation event.
Ultramarathon: A footrace longer than the standard marathon distance or lasting longer than its duration. Ultramarathons extend beyond the marathon's fixed distance.

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