The marathon was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.
Mabelo a maleele a simolotse go nna metshameko kgotsa dikgaisano ele tsela ya go dira segopotso sa lesole la Mogerika o bidiwang Pheidippides, yo a neng a rongwa go isa molaetsa gotswa mo ntweng e neng ya bediwa Marathon go ya kwa Athens.