The Marathon is a long-distance road running event of 42.195 km (26 mile 385 yd).
The name "Marathon" comes from a mythical story of the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek soldier.
It is said that he run from the town of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon.
The Marathon first appeared at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, in Athens.
It was the idea of Michel Bréal.
The first Olympic Marathon was won by Spiridon "Spiros" Louis, a Greek shepherd.
He won the Marthon in 2 hours, 58 minutes and 50 seconds.
The exact length of a marathon was at first not fixed at a set distance.
A fixed distance of 42.195 km was adopted by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), in 1921.
The womens marathon was introduced at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Abebe Bikila is regarded as the greatest Marathon runner in history.
Paralumun New Age Village