Long-distance running of this historical legend, whether Pheidippides actually ran from Marathon to Athens or between other cities, how far this was, and if he was the one to deliver the victory message, the marathon running event of 26.2 miles / 42.195 km is based on this legend. Humans are considered among the best distance runners among all running animals: game animals are faster over short distances, but they have less endurance than humans. Unlike other primates whose bodies are designed to walk on four legs or climb trees, the human body has evolved into upright walking and running around 2-3 million
Erichthonius of Athens The most sacred building on the Acropolis of Athens, the Erechtheum, is dedicated to Erichthonius. Erichthonius of Athens In Greek mythology, King Erichthonius (; Ancient Greek: Ἐριχθόνιος) was a legendary early ruler of ancient Athens. According to some myths, he was autochthonous (born of the soil, or Earth) and raised by the goddess Athena. Early Greek texts do not distinguish between him and Erectheus, his grandson, but by the fourth century BC, during Classical times, they are distinct figures. Erichthonius of uncertain etymology is possibly related to a pre-Greek form *"Erekteu-". The connection of Ἐριχθόνιος with ἐρέχθω, "shake" is a