Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon The men's marathon event was a special race invented as part of the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics programme. Michel Bréal originated the idea of a race from the city of Marathon to Athens, taking inspiration from the legend of Pheidippides. The first such marathon race was a Greek national competition that served as a qualifier for the Olympic marathon, won by Charilaos Vasilakos. The length of the marathon in 1896 was approximately 40 km (25 mi). Twenty-five athletes traveled to Marathon for the race from there to Athens, though
Nike OTC Marathon Boston Marathon is the only other race that has been the venue for more than three American women's marathon records. Nike OTC Marathon The Nike OTC Marathon (sometimes styled "Nike/Oregon Track Club Marathon") was a marathon held annually from 1973–1984 in Eugene, Oregon. It was organized by the Oregon Track Club (OTC) and sponsored by Nike. The women's world record for the marathon was set at the Nike OTC Marathon by Jacqueline Hansen, who ran 2:38:19 in 1975. The American women's marathon record was broken four times at the Nike OTC Marathon in the 1970s and 1980s, by Jacqueline Hansen