I run, but I haven't trained enough to run a marathon, or 26.219 miles.
I don't run I have arthritis but all the young people around here run marathos
Marathons go all the way back to the fabled run of Pheidippides, a messenger.  I just don't have the stamina!
I would never last a marathon but want to know all about them so I can converse with the neighbors about it
They were one of the first Olympic events in 1896, but the distance wasn't quite set until 1921.  I can run 1/2 marathon at 13.1 miles.
Can you imagine running that far lol I would keel over. 
Well, apparently legend states Pheidippides did keel over and die right after he crossed the finish line!
I believe it and he must have been over 50 too lol
distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes, as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
History.
History Origin.
The name "Marathon" comes from the legend of Philippides (or Pheidippides), the Greek messenger. The legend states that he was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon (in which he had
in the race. Cloney said, "Women can't run in the Marathon because the rules forbid it. Unless we have rules, society will be in chaos. I don't make the rules, but I try to carry them out. We have no space in the Marathon for any unauthorized person, even a man. If that girl were my daughter, I would spank her."
Because of her run, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) barred women from all competitions with male runners, with violators