Marathon

The history of marathon started out with the legend of a Greek soldier called Pheidippides. He was sent from Marathon town to Athens to bring the news of the Persians defeat during the Battle of Marathon. It was then said that the soldier Pheidippides ran the entire long distance without bothering to stop. However, moment right after delivering the message in Athens, he collapsed from the exhaustion and died. After the story broke out, different versions were heard and passed around. But still, no matter how varied the versions were, marathon had been born.

Marathons are favorite events in sports competition and gained worldwide publicity in international and globally events like the Olympics. When in the 19th century, the idea of modern Olympics took place, organizers and initiators alike were actively in search for a popularizing event as they recalled the glory of Greece from way back. The idea came from Michel Breal, to organize running marathons and featured it as part of the first ever 1896 Olympics games in Athens. The Greeks and the founder of modern Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin, very well supported the idea.

It was Charilaos Vasilakos who won the first marathon for the selection race in preparation for the Olympics, within the duration of three hours and 18 minutes. Meanwhile, the winning title for the first Olympics marathon event in 1896 was brought home by Spiridon “Spiros” Louis. Louis was a Greek water-carrier who won the Olympics in just two hours, 58 minutes, 50 seconds despite the stop he made to gulp in a glass of wine, which was offered by his awaiting uncle near the Chalandri village. It was still all-male marathon, having the women category introduced only in 1984 during the Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, USA.

At first, in marathon running, the length or distance was not really fixed. The only important point there was all athletes were to compete within the same course. The races during the first Olympic games where roughly set at 24 miles, basing from the historical distance between Marathon and Athens. The precise length of an Olympic marathon largely depends on the route established for every venue and event.

For most professional runners, a marathon is what they considered to be the longest run ever attempted. And coaches strongly believed that the most substantial factor in whatever marathon training is long running. Marathon athletes are all hoping to complete a full marathon and to possibly emerge as the winner in a particular race. Mostly, recreational runners try to complete about 20 miles or 32 kilometers as their target distance for their weekly run, but 40 miles or 64 kilometers of the total distance to cover when training for a marathon competition. But the more experienced runners gradually increased their distance each week. A great weekly training offers great results as well, especially when it comes to endurance and distance. And unfavorably, may also carry on higher risk of training injuries such as sprains or twisted ankles.

More often than not, participants do not run just to win but for their overall finish time and rank within the particular gender and age group that they are running with. Also, others run with the goal to break time barriers, setting off some record for themselves. Like for example the ambitious first-timers aiming to complete the run within four hours, while the more competitive spirits are more likely to attempt to wrap up the run in just three hours or less.

To complete the entire marathon race is really difficult. But more coaches and athletes believed that it is just possible with the right training, attitude, perseverance, and effort. After all, nothing is unattainable if you just put your heart into what you desire to accomplish.