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,
Monumental Marathon Just over 1,100 runners completed the inaugural running of the race, while almost 2,000 completed the race the following year. The Monumental Half Marathon is run concurrently to the full marathon. The two races follow identical routes for the first six or so miles, split, then re-converge for the last three miles of the course. Nearly 3,000 runners completed the half marathon in 2009. Beginning in 2010, a 5k race was offered as well. "A beautiful place to set your pace" is the tagline of the Monumental Marathon. The course for the Monumental Marathon begins and ends near the Indiana