Running in Ancient Greece Athens to Sparta and then back to Marathon in 490 BCE. He was sent to gain the help of the Spartans against the attack of the Persian army in Marathon. In 1896, at the first modern Olympics, the very first modern-day marathon was run. To honor the history of Greek running, Greece chose a course that would mimic the route run by Pheidippides. The race course covered . The route started at a bridge in the town of Marathon and ended in the Olympic stadium reference perseus project. Another event in the ancient Olympic Games was the pentathlon. The pentathlon
USA Marathon Championships fifth eligible finishers being designated as alternates. During these years, the race is more commonly referred to as the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and it is much more competitive. USA Marathon Championships The USA Marathon Championships is the annual national championships for marathon running in the United States. The race serves as a way of designating the American national champion for the marathon. The men's race was first contested in 1925 and a women's race was added to the program in 1974. Since 1968, in years which the Summer Olympics are held the event serves as a way of selecting