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
Sydney Marathon Sydney Marathon The Sydney Marathon is a marathon held annually in Sydney, Australia each September. The event was first held in 2001 as a legacy of the 2000 Summer Olympics, which were held in Sydney. In addition to the marathon, a half marathon, "Bridge Run", and a "Family Fun Run" are also held under the banner of the Sydney Running Festival. The marathon course record is held by Gebo Burka of Kenya, who completed the race in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 18 seconds in 2014. The fastest woman is the former Ethiopian Makda Harun, now an Australian resident, who