Physiology of marathons certain physiological characteristics of marathon runners exist. The differing efficiency of certain physiological features in marathon runners evidence the variety of finishing times among elite marathon runners that share similarities in many physiological characteristics. Aside from large aerobic capacities and other biochemical mechanisms, external factors such as the environment and proper nourishment of a marathon runner can further the insight as to why marathon performance is variable despite ideal physiological characteristics obtained by a runner. The first marathon ever run was an unintentional 25 mile trek performed by Pheidippides. Pheidippides was a Greek soldier who ran to Athens from the
Niagara Falls International Marathon Niagara Falls International Marathon The Niagara Falls International Marathon is an annual marathon running competition from Buffalo, New York, United States to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Originally known as the Skylon International Marathon (Jesse Kregal, Founder and Race Director), it was first held in 1974, then had a ten-year break from 1987 to 1996 before being relaunched in 1997. The course records are held by Peter Pfitzinger, who ran 2:17:10 in 1980, and Nicole Stevenson of Canada, whose time of 2:37:09 in 2004 is the women's record. It is one of the few marathons in the world that starts in