Battle of Marathon of events, with the competitors running from Marathon to Athens. So popular was this event that it quickly caught on, becoming a fixture at the Olympic games, with major cities staging their own annual events. The distance eventually became fixed at 26 miles 385 yards, or 42.195 km, though for the first years it was variable, being around —the approximate distance from Marathon to Athens. Battle of Marathon The Battle of Marathon (Greek: , "Machē tou Marathōnos") took place in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece. It was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by Plataea,
Valencia Half Marathon the men's record is four seconds behind the Spanish soil best. Key: Valencia Half Marathon The Valencia Half Marathon () is an annual road running event over the half marathon distance (21.1 km or 13.1 miles) that takes place in the city of Valencia, Spain. It is organised by the S.D. Correcaminos Valencia sports club, which also organises the annual Valencia Marathon. The event was first held in 1991 as a race over 20 kilometres known as the "20 kilómetros Ciudad de Valencia" and this continued each May up to 2005. From 2006 onwards, the competition was extended slightly to