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The History of the Marathon

The marathon race has its roots in Greek legend.

It is said that in 490 B.C., a soldier, Pheidippides, was sent from a battlefield near the place Marathon in Greece, to Athens, to tell the news of a Greek victory over the Persians. He ran all the way, and on reaching the city he exclaimed, "Rejoice, we conquer" and collapsed and died.

When the Olympic games were revived in 1894, Michel Breal, a philologist at the Sorbonne, suggested a race be held to commemorate the Pheidippides legend - a 26-mile race from Marathon to Athens.

On April 10, 1896, the final day of the Games, twenty-five runners stood at the starting line by the Battle of the Marathon's warrior tomb in Athens. A hundred thousand spectators, many holding wine and bread for the runners, lined Marathon Road. After 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 50 seconds, 23 years old Spiridon Louis won. He received a silver medal, a certificate and a laurel-wreath. Louis died in 1940.

The following year, on April 18th, was the first running of the, now famous, Boston Athletic Association marathon. The 24.7-mile course was from Metcalfe's Mill in Ashland, Mass to Boston's Irvingston St. Oval and was completed by eight of the fifteen who started it. John J. Mc Dermott was the winner, in a time of 2 hours, 55 minutes and 10 seconds.

For the 1908 London Olympics marathon the distance was changed to 26 miles so that the event could finish in front of the royal box. It took another 16 years before the extra .2 miles were added, with the 1924 Paris Olympics being the first to hold the now official distance of 26.2 miles.

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