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
The Tyranny of Distance: How Distance Shaped Australia's History The Tyranny of Distance: How Distance Shaped Australia's History The Tyranny of Distance: How Distance Shaped Australia's History is a history book by Geoffrey Blainey. First published in 1966, the book examines how Australia's geographical remoteness, particularly from its colonizer Great Britain, has been central to shaping the country's history and identity and will continue to shape its future. The long distance between Australia and its colonial forebears in Europe, and also the United States, made Australians unsure of their future economic prosperity. The expression "the tyranny of distance" from the book's title has become common parlance in Australia. Although