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,
St. Michaels Half Marathon St. Michaels Half Marathon The St. Michaels Half Marathon is an annual half marathon road race. The race is competed at the amateur level. Although the event does not have a title sponsor, Nationwide is considered the primary sponsor. The race is organized by the St. Michaels Running Festival, which also hosts a 10000 and 5000 m. The Festival attracted over 1,500 runners in its opening year, and approximately 3,000 in its second edition. St. Michaels Half Marathon is a USATF certified course, measuring exactly 13.1 miles. The course is relatively flat, with grades varying between +4% to -4%, while