Have you ever done a marathon? It is a 26 mile long race.
I have not run a marathon.  My wife, however, enjoys 1/2 marathons.
Impressive. The marathon is run to commemorate a Greek soldier, Pheidippides. He was a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.
How far did Pheidippides run to carry his message?
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
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (approximately 26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, who reported the victory. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions.
The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the