Marathon Marathon The marathon is a long-distance race, completed by running, walking, or a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions. The marathon has an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles; 26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, who reported the victory. The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each
2014 London Marathon champion Feyisa Lelisa; Paris Marathon champion Stanley Biwott; two-time New York Marathon champion Marilson dos Santos, and 2011 world 10,000 metres champion Ibrahim Jeilan. British Olympic 10,000 metres Gold medallist Mo Farah, who ran half the marathon in 2013, drew significant interest in his home country and internationally. It was the first-ever marathon for Farah, often hailed as one of the greatest distance track runners in history. Entering the final mile, two Kenyans led the race: 2012 London Marathon champion Wilson Kipsang and Stanley Biwott. Kipsang pulled away over the last mile, to win the race in 2 hours 4