Why is the marathon 42 km long?

Due to the local conditions at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, the marathon distance was extended to 42.750 km. On May 27, 1921, the competent IAAF organ, the World Records Committee, decided to set the distance of the Olympic marathon according to the London model: 42.195 km = 26 miles, 385 yards!

Why is a marathon exactly 26.2 miles?

The short answer is that marathons are set at 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles) because the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) officially adopted that in 1921.

Why is a marathon the distance that it is?

The idea for the modern marathon was inspired by the legend of an ancient Greek messenger who raced from the site of Marathon to Athens, a distance of about 40 kilometers, or nearly 25 miles, with the news of an important Greek victory over an invading army of Persians in 490 B.C. After making his announcement, the …

What is the official distance to run in a marathon?

The longest race on the Olympic programme, athletes run a distance of 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195km).

How do marathons measure distance?

But the only way to know for sure that a marathon course is precisely 26 miles, 385 yards is to call upon official measurers, like Cundy and Seton. The idea is to slowly ride a bike over the marathon course, measuring distances with a device, a Jones counter, which keeps track of each revolution of the bicycle’s wheel.

How did the marathon start?

In the 5th century B.C., the Persians invaded Greece, landing at Marathon, a small town about 26 miles from the city of Athens. The traditional origin of the marathon comes from the story how a herald named Phidippides ran the 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory and died on the spot.

Why is the length of the marathon 26 miles and 385 yards?

According to legend, a messenger named Pheidippides ran 40-kilometers, or roughly 25-miles, from the town of Marathon to Athens to announce a Greek military victory. Pheidippides then promptly dropped dead. For the first time, Olympic marathoners ran a distance of 42.195 kilometers or 26-miles and 385 yards.

What is the official half marathon distance?

13.1094 miles
A road race of 13.1094 miles or 21.0975km is exactly half the distance of a full marathon.

How long did the first marathon take?

then keeled over and died. So, de Coubertin organized the first official race from the Marathon Bridge to Olympic Stadium in Athens, a distance of about 24.85 miles or 40,000 meters. Spiridon Louis, a Greek postal worker, won that first race in 2 hours, 58 minutes, 50 seconds, finishing seven minutes ahead of the pack.

What is a full marathon?

The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy.

What is the distance of the marathon in miles?

The current official distance of 26 miles, 385 yards (42.195 km) was adopted by the IAAF in 1921, and it is assumed to derive from the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.

Why is the London Marathon 26 miles?

The london race in 1908. It is commonly said that the distance was set to 26 miles 385 yards because of the Royal family. During the preparation of the summer Olympiads, it had been agreed that the organizers would include a marathon of about 40 km or 25 miles.

Why is the Olympic marathon 40 kilometers?

To commemorate his dramatic run, the distance of the 1896 Olympic marathon was set at 40 kilometers. For the next few Olympics, the length of the marathon remained close to 25 miles, but at the 1908 Games in London the course was extended, allegedly to accommodate the British royal family.

What was the distance chosen for the 1908 London Marathon?

The distance chosen was the one ran in London in 1908 : 26 miles 385 yards or 42.195 km. The london race in 1908. It is commonly said that the distance was set to 26 miles 385 yards because of the Royal family. During the preparation of the summer Olympiads, it had been agreed that the organizers would include a marathon of about 40 km or 25 miles.