History of the Marathon
Written by Elizabeth A. Hays
The Olympic Games have taken the world by storm throughout the centuries, but there is one sport that has dominated individual lives on a daily basis. That sport is running, and more specifically, the marathon race. A marathon is a single-person foot race of approximately 26 miles (slightly less than 43 kilometers). Men and women have taken this event worldwide and made it into a personal challenge because all that is required is a pair of running shoes and a water bottle. Even though it is one of the most popular Olympic sports, the term “marathon” did not materialize until the late twentieth century. It was also used to describe extensive periods of time, like a marathon session of Congress (Martin and Gynn, 2000).
Fans love recounting the epic tale of the marathon’s history. Its origin derives from the Battle of Marathon, which occurred in a small coastal village outside of Athens, Greece. During the fourth and fifth centuries, the Persian Empire expanded throughout the Middle East and into Europe through the Mediterranean Sea (Grogan, 1981). Under Miltiades’ command, the Athenian army marched to Marathon to repel the Persians before reaching the more prominent city (Grogan, 1981). In the meantime, they sent their best long-distance runner, Pheidippides (Philippides), to ask Sparta for assistance. He returned a few days later, having run roughly 280 miles, announcing delays from the Spartan military (Grogan, 1981). Miltiades eventually defeated the Persians. The legend states that at the end of the conflict, Pheidippides ran about 25 miles from the Marathon battlefields to the Athens city center to announce their victory (Baker, 1997). After his exclamation and the excessive running that he endured, the runner collapsed and never recovered from his injuries.
Historians have spent centuries trying to corroborate the oral histories of this narrative. The fact that it is an ancient event that has undergone multiple translations has made it difficult. The name Pheidippides first appeared in one of the earliest works written by Herodotus, but the author was just a child during the Battle of Marathon (Kinsey, 1981). According to official documents, historians presume that his knowledge of the account originates from an eyewitness. The aspect of this epic tale involving the runner making his iconic journey to Athens to announce their victory, unfortunately, does not appear in Herodotus' history. The writer details the messenger’s run from Athens to Sparta, but his report on Pheidippides is brief. Other writers, like Plutarch and Lucian of Samosata, mention another messenger who made the announcement. Plutarch's runner was named Eucles, but Lucian's main character was called Philippides, and he told a story about an earlier run to Sparta (Kinsey, 1981).
For centuries, this story was only available to scholars. Greater attention was given to the tale in 1879 with Robert Browning’s poem, “Pheidippides” (Grogan, 1981). Taking inspiration from earlier historians, he dramatized the narrative by ending it with, “Athens is saved!"—Pheidippides dies in the shout for his meed (Browning, 2005). Historians think that the popularity of this poem and Lucian's interpretation of the messenger's run led to the story of how the race got started.
Not long after Browning’s poem was published, the first modern Olympic games were held in Athens in 1986 (Baker, 1997). The ancient competitions consisted of various footraces, and officials intended to honor Greece’s history by making it a primary tournament. They succeeded in celebrating Pheidippides’ mythology and the deathly 25-mile trek by establishing the first marathon race. It was brought to the western hemisphere the following year in Boston, Massachusetts (Baker, 1997). The marathon has become extremely popular globally, with events following different scenes and on various occasions. Due to the vast number of marathons held, Olympic administrators in 1929 officially created a universal distance for marathon runners internationally: 26 miles and 385 yards (Baker, 1997).
The Boston Marathon is currently one of the most prestigious footraces. Like the Greek Olympic officials, the American city wanted to commemorate its history with the marathon’s origin. The first Boston race occurred on April 19, coincidentally, Patriot’s Day (Baker, 1997). Since then, runners have trained and flocked to the starting line to take part in one of the most important running events outside of the Olympic Games. In addition to global competition, the Boston Marathon was the first race to hold events for more than a century (Burfoot, 2007). Its appeal is understandable because it allows the ordinary individual to feel like an Olympian, even if only for a few hours. Over the years, the event has produced some great world record holders. Unfortunately, according to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), records broken while running the Boston Marathon are not officially recognized because the course does not comply with IAAF guidelines. Despite that, participants are still considered extreme athletes.
Completing a marathon is not easy, even if it is part of a timed race or simply a personal accomplishment. It requires months of training, focus, and intense discipline. Runners will practice for years before feeling confident enough to qualify for races. The story is just as epic as the event itself. It began as an ancient Greek legend, grew into a major battle, and ended with a single death. It established a competition that people around the world honor and respect.
Fans love recounting the epic tale of the marathon’s history. Its origin derives from the Battle of Marathon, which occurred in a small coastal village outside of Athens, Greece. During the fourth and fifth centuries, the Persian Empire expanded throughout the Middle East and into Europe through the Mediterranean Sea (Grogan, 1981). Under Miltiades’ command, the Athenian army marched to Marathon to repel the Persians before reaching the more prominent city (Grogan, 1981). In the meantime, they sent their best long-distance runner, Pheidippides (Philippides), to ask Sparta for assistance. He returned a few days later, having run roughly 280 miles, announcing delays from the Spartan military (Grogan, 1981). Miltiades eventually defeated the Persians. The legend states that at the end of the conflict, Pheidippides ran about 25 miles from the Marathon battlefields to the Athens city center to announce their victory (Baker, 1997). After his exclamation and the excessive running that he endured, the runner collapsed and never recovered from his injuries.
Historians have spent centuries trying to corroborate the oral histories of this narrative. The fact that it is an ancient event that has undergone multiple translations has made it difficult. The name Pheidippides first appeared in one of the earliest works written by Herodotus, but the author was just a child during the Battle of Marathon (Kinsey, 1981). According to official documents, historians presume that his knowledge of the account originates from an eyewitness. The aspect of this epic tale involving the runner making his iconic journey to Athens to announce their victory, unfortunately, does not appear in Herodotus' history. The writer details the messenger’s run from Athens to Sparta, but his report on Pheidippides is brief. Other writers, like Plutarch and Lucian of Samosata, mention another messenger who made the announcement. Plutarch's runner was named Eucles, but Lucian's main character was called Philippides, and he told a story about an earlier run to Sparta (Kinsey, 1981).
For centuries, this story was only available to scholars. Greater attention was given to the tale in 1879 with Robert Browning’s poem, “Pheidippides” (Grogan, 1981). Taking inspiration from earlier historians, he dramatized the narrative by ending it with, “Athens is saved!"—Pheidippides dies in the shout for his meed (Browning, 2005). Historians think that the popularity of this poem and Lucian's interpretation of the messenger's run led to the story of how the race got started.
Not long after Browning’s poem was published, the first modern Olympic games were held in Athens in 1986 (Baker, 1997). The ancient competitions consisted of various footraces, and officials intended to honor Greece’s history by making it a primary tournament. They succeeded in celebrating Pheidippides’ mythology and the deathly 25-mile trek by establishing the first marathon race. It was brought to the western hemisphere the following year in Boston, Massachusetts (Baker, 1997). The marathon has become extremely popular globally, with events following different scenes and on various occasions. Due to the vast number of marathons held, Olympic administrators in 1929 officially created a universal distance for marathon runners internationally: 26 miles and 385 yards (Baker, 1997).
The Boston Marathon is currently one of the most prestigious footraces. Like the Greek Olympic officials, the American city wanted to commemorate its history with the marathon’s origin. The first Boston race occurred on April 19, coincidentally, Patriot’s Day (Baker, 1997). Since then, runners have trained and flocked to the starting line to take part in one of the most important running events outside of the Olympic Games. In addition to global competition, the Boston Marathon was the first race to hold events for more than a century (Burfoot, 2007). Its appeal is understandable because it allows the ordinary individual to feel like an Olympian, even if only for a few hours. Over the years, the event has produced some great world record holders. Unfortunately, according to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), records broken while running the Boston Marathon are not officially recognized because the course does not comply with IAAF guidelines. Despite that, participants are still considered extreme athletes.
Completing a marathon is not easy, even if it is part of a timed race or simply a personal accomplishment. It requires months of training, focus, and intense discipline. Runners will practice for years before feeling confident enough to qualify for races. The story is just as epic as the event itself. It began as an ancient Greek legend, grew into a major battle, and ended with a single death. It established a competition that people around the world honor and respect.
