Marathon Marathon The marathon is a long-distance race, completed by running, walking, or a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions. The marathon has an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles; 26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, who reported the victory. The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each
Philadelphia Marathon 5 miles) companion race to the Philadelphia Marathon. This race follows a shorter loop of the marathon, starting off on the expansive Benjamin Franklin Parkway before taking a turn on the scenic banks of the Schuylkill River and Martin Luther King Drive. Each runner receives a T-shirt, a finisher medal and a finisher certificate (available online after the race). The Philadelphia Marathon, who collaborated with Green Mountain Energy partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement to turn the race into an eco-friendly sporting event. In 2007, the Marathon’s eco-friendly events began with recycling