run the marathon

The first ever marathon was run in 490 BC, by the Greek soldier Pheidippides, who ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to report the victory of the Greeks. From the first Olympics in 1896, the marathon was run for 25 miles (42.33 km). During the 1908 London Olympics the distance was adjusted to 26.2 miles (44.36 km) to accommodate Queen Alexandra’s request that the royal household could see the race from Windsor Castle. Another humorous incident of the Marathon- in 1960, Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia ran barefoot because his shoes proved to be too tight, yet became the first black African to win Olympic gold; four year later in Tokyo he defended his title. Well then, ready for a Marathon?

The marathon is an extreme physical skill which tests stamina, endurance and supreme focus of the mind. It is not so much about speed but more about overcoming physical difficulties of pain and dehydration. It teaches you a lot about yourself, about the limits of your strength and your willingness to overcome the apparent limits of your mind.