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How did the marathon emerge

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{{Mediawiki:kindleoasis}}__NOTOC__[[File:1896 Olympic marathon.jpg|thumbnail|370 px250px|left|Figure 1. Three runners training for the first marathon in 1896.]]The marathon is seen today as gruelling a grueling long-distance, usually over 26 -mile race. The Marathon's battle of Marathon, fought between the Greek and Persian armies, and the resulting run by a Greek warrior to tell the victory is usually cited as the origin of this sport. While there is truth in this story, the history of the marathon is complex and its presence in many major world cities shows it still stands as one of the great events that tests human will and skill.
====From Ancient to the Modern Olympics====The earliest history of the marathon is likely legend based on some facts. The story of the legend states that the Greek messenger Pheidippides ran back to Athens in August/September 490 BCE, a distance of almost 26 miles, to inform the Athenian assembly that the Achaemenid army fighting at the battle of Marathon had been defeated. Very likely , this story did not occur this way, as contemporary accounts do not corroborate this story , and the story of Pheidippides' famous run only emerged in the 1st century CE.  Plutarch in his work, <i>On the Glory of Athens</i>, mentions this famous event. Potentially more likely, although it is still unclear, there was a runner, perhaps called Pheidippides, who ran to Sparta from Athens to seek assistance from the Spartans as the Achaemenid army advanced.<ref>For more on the battle of Marathon and the history of the marathon's origins, see: Kyle, Donald G. 2007. <i>Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World. Ancient Cultures</i>. Malden, MA ; Oxford: Blackwell Pub, pg. 96.</ref>
Whatever the accuracy of the story, what we do know is that the ancient Greeks loved running sports and very likely there would have been athletes who trained to run long-distances. Ancient Greek sources discuss training and the use of complicated regimes to train athletes for the ancient Olympics. The origin of many events, including the pentathlon, developed from this.<ref>For more on Greek running sports, see: Woff, Richard. 1999. <i>The Ancient Greek Olympics</i>. New York: Oxford University Press.</ref>
However, because the legend of Pheidippides was so well entrenched after Roman sources began to mention this event, this story became the critical event that helped shaped the development of the modern marathon. When the Olympics were revived in 1896, the idea was to revive a key event in the history of Greece and Athens' history. Therefore, the marathon was chosen as a commemorative event and that began the history of the modern marathon.  Organizers of the Olympics Michel Bréal and Pierre de Coubertin wanted something to tie the modern Olympics with the Greece's ancient glory of Greece. The idea was popular and the first winner of the 1896 Olympic Marathon was a Greek runner named Spyridon Louis.<ref>For a history of the first marathon race in the first modern Olympics, see: Holmes, Burton. 1984. <i>The Olympian Games in Athens, 1896: The First Modern Olympics</i>. 1st Evergreen ed. New York: Grove Press.</ref> ====The Modern Sport====[[File:Louis_entering_Kallimarmaron_at_the_1896_Athens_Olympics.jpg|thumbnail|250px|left|Spyridon Louis entering Olympic stadium in 1896.]] With the introduction of the marathon as a new sport, it soon became popular as an event that was run outside of the Olympics. In 1897, the Boston Marathon began to be an annual event and today is one of six major world marathon events held where the world's top runners compete. The race is the oldest continuing marathon and has always been run on Patriot's Day. The holiday symbolizes the first battles of the American Revolution. Thus the Boston Athletic Association, which runs the event, uses the date to tie the American struggle for freedom with that of the ancient Greeks.<ref>For more information on the Boston Marathon history, see: Derderian, Tom. 2014. ''Boston Marathon a Celebration of the World’s Premier Race''. Triumph Books. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=1648811.</ref>
==The Modern Sport==With the introduction of the marathon as a new sport, it soon became popular as an event that race length was run outside of the not standardized in its early history. The Olympics. In 1897, the Boston Marathon began to be an annual event and today is one of six major world marathon other events held where the world's top runners competeranged from 24-26 miles. The race roughly 26.2 miles distance that now is standard became established by the oldest continuing marathon and has always run on Patriot's day1908 London Olympics. The holiday symbolizes Initially, the first battles of organizers wanted the American Revolution and thus race to run from Windsor Castle to the Boston Athletic AssociationOlympic stadium. However, who runs it was decided that, as the eventroyal family was in the stadium, uses the date it would be good to tie have a final lap around the American struggle for freedom with that of main track and then have the ancient Greeksrace finish.<ref>For more information on Although this happened for the history of the Boston Marathon1908 Olympics, see: Derderian, Tom. 2014. ''Boston Marathon a Celebration of the World’s Premier Race''. Triumph Books. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=1648811this length was still not standardized until 1921.</ref>
The race length was not standardized in its early history. The Olympics and other events ranged from 24-26 miles. The roughly 26.2 miles distance that now is standard became established by the 1908 London Olympics. Initially, the organizers wanted the race to run from Windsor Castle to the Olympic stadium, the old White City Stadium or Great Stadium. However, it was decided that, as the royal family was in the stadium, it would be good to have a final lap around the main track and then have the race finish. Although this happened for the 1908 Olympics, this length was still not standardized until 1921. By 1924, the Boston Marathon, which by now had emerged as the world's premier marathon running event outside of the Olympics, standardized the distance to conform with the 1908 Olympic length. This now led the way for all international marathon events by the 1920s to be the same length.<ref>For a history of the marathon's modern length of the marathon, see: Davis, David. 2012. <i>Showdown at Shepherd’s Bush: The 1908 Olympic Marathon and the Three Runners Who Launched a Sporting Craze</i>. New York: Thomas Dunne Books.</ref>
Surprisingly, given progress in other events after World War II, women were not allowed to run marathon events in many places and in particular the Olympics. In the 1896 Olympics, Stamatis Rovithi became the first woman to run the marathon; however, she did this by not running the official course but rather in a track parallel to the course. She finished about 1.5 hours behind the winner of the race but did pass many men during her running. Violet Piercy was the first woman to be officially timed in a marathon race in 1926, with a time of 3:40:22. Because so few women were allowed to run, this record stood for more than 37 years. In the 1966 Boston Marathon, Roberta Gibb sneaked into the race and ran an unofficial time of 3:21:25, becoming the first woman known to complete the course. In another well-known incident, in 1967 an entrant named K.V. Switzer ran the race. However, the person was really Kathrine Switzer. Race officials only found out it was a woman after the race had begun.
Because so few women were allowed to run, this record stood for more than 37 years. In a somewhat comical eventthe 1966 Boston Marathon, Roberta Gibb sneaked into the officials tried to pull her out race and ran an unofficial time of 3:21:25, becoming the race during the running once they found out the runner was a first woman, but her teammates fended their attempts and she was able known to complete the event with a time of over 4 hourscourse. It was only in the 1970s that women's marathonsIn another well-known incident, particularly in Germany1967, began to be organizedan entrant named K.V. The main issue was many doctors at Switzer ran the time and health professionals strongly believe women's bodies could not cope with the long-distance race. However, it the person was also the Olympic rules that prevent the women's marathon from becoming official, as it required 25 countries to hold the event for it to be an official event. The same really Kathrine Switzer who ran the Boston Marathon began organizing a series of women's running events and obtained powerful sponsorship from legislators and, most importantly, corporate money (Avon in particular). Finally, in the Los Angles Olympics in 1984, the Olympics held Race officials only found out it first women's marathon event, won by Joan Benoit from the US with was a time of 2:24:52. By then, there were 28 countries now competing in this event for women.<ref>For more on woman after the history of the marathon and women, see: Switzer, Kathrine. 2009. <i>Marathon Woman: Running the Race to Revolutionize Women’s Sports</i>. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Pressrace had begun.</ref>
Kenya stands out as a country that has, disproportional to its population, produced many great runners over the last few decades. This could be because populations there had evolved to use long<dh-distance running. Genetically, Kenyans from the western part of the country have been shown to have relatively efficient bone structures for running that helps them to develop advantages over others. In examples, Kenyan boys training for a few months have been shown to outperform Western runners who had trained for many years. Much of that advantage derives from having a thin physique, long legs, and efficient body mass ratios that have helped runners from Kenya develop an advantage.<ref>For more on Kenya's success with the marathon, see: Pitsiladis, Yannis P, Yannis P Pitsiladis, Vincent O Onywera, Evelina Geogiades, William O’Connell, and Michael K Boit. 2004. “The Dominance of Kenyans in Distance Running.” <i>Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology 1</i> (4): 285–91. doi:10.1079/ECP200433.<ad/ref>
==Why it is Still Popular==[[File:Boston1910.jpg|thumbnail|350 px|Figure 2. The Boston Marathon in 1910]]With In a somewhat comical event, the entry officials tried to pull her out of women, the marathon as we know it today had become set. The sport, among race during the most difficult of running once they found out the Olympicsrunner was a woman, has become popular with many amateur runners around the world. Because few other sports test both stamina but her teammates fended their attempts and physical ability, where she was able to complete the mental challenges event with a time of running for such a long distance are as significant as over 4 hours. In the physical ones1970s, women's marathons, particularly in Germany, may help began to explain why this sport is relatively popularbe organized. Increasingly, the sport is associated with raising charitable funds, as amateurs The main issue was that doctors and health professionals use the event to raise funds for their causes.<ref>For more on how todaystrongly believe women's marathon is popular bodies could not cope with many amateur runners, see: Murphy, Sam, and Sam Murphy. 2009. Marathon and Half Marathon: From Start to Finish. London: A & C Black, pg. 165.</ref> Over half a million runners ran marathon races in 2014 in the USlong-distance race. InterestinglyHowever, it is was also the over 40 population segment Olympic rules that has grown the most substantially in participating in prevented the women's marathon. Once againfrom becoming official, as it is likely required 25 countries to hold the physical and mental demanding nature that has pushed the popularity of this sport event for older athletes.<ref>For statistics on the popularity of the marathon, see: Zinner, Christoph, and Billy Sperlich. 2016. Marathon Running: Physiology, Psychology, Nutrition and Training Aspects, pg. 108it to be an official event.</ref>
For The same Kathrine Switzer who ran the Boston Marathon began organizing a series of women's running events and obtained powerful sponsorship from legislators and, most runnersimportantly, corporate money (Avon in particular). Finally, in the Los Angles Olympics in 1984, the Olympics held it first women's marathon is event, won by Joan Benoit from the US with a one-time event done to challenge one self and possibly raise fundsof 2:24:52. HoweverBy then, there were 28 countries now competing in this event for some amateurs, it is a year-round lifestylewomen. Runners train for the many major events and <ref>For more on the marathon has even inspired more extreme running events that have grown in popularity, ranging from ultra-marathons that are over 100 miles in some cases to difficult races that traverse wild terrain and mountainous areas. Medicallywomen's history, running can be addictivesee: Switzer, with endorphins perhaps influencing some runners to keep runningKathrine. 2009. Whatever <i>Marathon Woman: Running the exact reasons, the trend of long-distance running inspired by the marathon continues Race to growRevolutionize Women’s Sports</i>. Clubs and group training events can now be found in many places in Europe and the United States in particularCambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.</ref>
==Conclusion==Although perhaps Kenya stands out as a myth, country that has been disproportional to its population and produced many great runners over the last few decades. This could be because populations there had evolved to use long-distance run running. Genetically, Kenyans from the plains western part of Marathon the country have been shown to Athens helped inspire the have relatively efficient bone structures for running of the modern marathon in 1896. The first modern Olympics soon inspired the Boston Marathon and ever since the sport has been growing in popularity. Today, thousands of towns and cities worldwide hold marathon events. Marathon running has become a highly competitive event where millions of dollars of prize money are at stakehelping them develop advantages over others. The sport continues to be physically demandingFor example, and in many major marathon events there are often reports of death or injury, but the association of fundraising, physical and mental challenge, and perhaps addictive nature of running Kenyan boys training for some a few months has helped it been shown to continue as a popular sport outperform Western runners trained for manyyears.
Much of that advantage derives from having a thin physique, long legs, and efficient body mass ratios that have helped runners from Kenya develop an advantage.<ref>For more on Kenya's success with the marathon, see Pitsiladis, Yannis P, Yannis P Pitsiladis, Vincent O Onywera, Evelina Georgiades, William O’Connell, and Michael K Boit. 2004. “The Dominance of Kenyans in Distance Running.” <i>Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology 1</i> (4): 285–91. doi:10.1079/ECP200433.</ref> ====Why it is Still Popular?=References===[[File:Boston1910.jpg|thumbnail|left|350 px|The Boston Marathon in 1910]]With the entry of women, the marathon as we know it today had become set. Among the most difficult of the Olympics, the sport has become popular with many amateur runners worldwide. Because few other sports test both stamina and physical ability, where the mental challenges of running for such a long distance are as significant as the physical ones, it may explain why this sport is relatively popular. The sport is increasingly associated with raising charitable funds, as amateurs and professionals use the event to raise funds for their causes.<ref>For more on how today's marathon is popular with many amateur runners: Murphy, Sam, and Sam Murphy. 2009. Marathon and Half Marathon: From Start to Finish. London: A & C Black, pg. 165.</ref>  Over half a million runners ran marathon races in 2014 in the US. Interestingly, the over 40 population segment has grown the most substantially in participating in the marathon. Once again, it is likely the physical and mentally demanding nature that has pushed this sport's popularity for older athletes.<ref>For statistics on the marathon's popularity, see Zinner, Christoph, and Billy Sperlich. 2016. Marathon Running: Physiology, Psychology, Nutrition, and Training Aspects, pg. 108.<references/refFor most runners, a marathon is a one-time event to challenge one self and possibly raise funds. However, for some amateurs, it is a year-round lifestyle. Runners train for the many major events. The marathon has even inspired more extreme running events that have grown in popularity, ranging from ultra-marathons that are over 100 miles in some cases to difficult races that traverse wild terrain and mountainous areas. Medically, running can be addictive, with endorphins perhaps influencing some runners to keep running. Whatever the exact reasons, the trend of long-distance running inspired by the marathon continues to grow. Clubs and group training events can now be found in many places in Europe and the United States in particular. ====Conclusion====Although perhaps a myth, the long-distance run from Marathon's plains to Athens helped inspire the running of the modern marathon in 1896. The first modern Olympics soon inspired the Boston Marathon, and ever since, the sport has been growing in popularity. Today, thousands of towns and cities worldwide hold marathon events. Marathon running has become a highly competitive event where millions of dollars of prize money are at stake. The sport continues to be physically demanding, and in many major marathon events there are often reports of death or injury, but the association of fundraising, physical and mental challenge, and perhaps addictive nature of running for some has helped it to continue as a popular sport for many.
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