Marathon messenger who ran from Athens to Sparta asking for help, and then ran back, a distance of over each way. In some Herodotus manuscripts, the name of the runner between Athens and Sparta is given as Philippides. Herodotus makes no mention of a messenger sent from Marathon to Athens, and relates that the main part of the Athenian army, having fought and won the grueling battle, and fearing a naval raid by the Persian fleet against an undefended Athens, marched quickly back from the battle to Athens, arriving the same day. In 1879, Robert Browning wrote the poem "Pheidippides". Browning's
2014 London Marathon with spectators standing 10 to 15 people deep, turned out to cheer on the competitors in warm weather. The race began in Greenwich in South East London, passing by many of London's most famous landmarks, before finishing on The Mall. The men's elite race featured a particularly strong field, including marathon world-record holder Wilson Kipsang, reigning Olympic and world marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich, 2013 London Marathon champion Tsegaye Kebede, and London course-record holder Emmanuel Mutai. Other notable competitors included Geoffrey Mutai, who unofficially ran the fastest marathon ever; Ayele Abshero, who has the fastest marathon debut; Xiamen and Dublin marathon