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,
Göteborg Marathon the same way. The half marathoners run one lap, while the marathon race consists of two. The course is relatively flat, but winds along the sea can be significant. Göteborg Marathon Göteborg Marathon is an annual marathon running competition in Gothenburg, the second-largest city in Sweden, organized by the local athletics club Solvikingarna. The race was first held in 1972, and has since been an annual event except for 1973 and 1986. Classes for the half marathon distance were added in 1996 to help finance the event. The race takes place in October, and is currently the third largest marathon