A marathon is a 42.195 km running race.
Though the story has never been factually backed up it is said that when Athenians won over Persians in 490 BC in Marathon, a foot-runner named Phillippides ran 40 kilometers from Marathon to Athens to deliver the good news without stopping. He yelled "We have won!" on reaching the Athens assembly, collapsed and died. Hence Phillippides is the first person to ever run a marathon. The distance 40 kilometers thus became significant and was the official distance to be covered in the first ever marathon conducted by the Olympics in 1896. Also this event was conducted on the same route that Phillippides took from Marathon to Athens. The Olympics as they are held every four years in a different venue the distance of the marathon started varying too.
In May 1921 the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) set 42.195 kilometers as the standard distance for marathon. Apart from full marathon a half marathon consisting of 21.0975 kilometers, 10 kilometers, 7 kilometers, 5 kilometers and lesser distance are being conducted by marathon event conductors.
In 1897 after the first Olympic marathon Boston Marathon began. It has since then been conducted every year. In 1996, 35,868 finished the Boston Marathon making it the world's largest marathon. Apart from Boston, London Marathon, New York City Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Tokyo Marathon are greatest marathons of the world.
Since 2006 a championship-style competition for marathon runners has been started comprising of all the above mentioned marathons.
A recognized marathon has to receive IAAF Label designation. It gives gold, silver and bronze designation and this depends on organization of race, international participants, media services, course timing and measurement, health and safety precautions taken by the authorities and athlete equality in case of rewards. Organizers have to apply for renewal every year.
Each marathon has its entry fee and every participant completing gets medal, participation certificate and goodies depending on the organizer. The winner of the marathon receives a pre decided amount by the organizers.
The shortest time period to complete a marathon was 2:01:39 by Eliud Kipchoge in 2018. The shortest time taken by a woman to complete a marathon was 2:15:25 achieved by Paula Radcliffe in 2003.
Usually anyone between the age group of 18 to 80 can participate a marathon on fulfilling criteria's set by the organizers.
Fauja Singh aged 100 in 2011 when he completed Toronto Waterfront Marathon tough it was not officially accepted by World Masters Athletics as he could not produce his birth certificate. Bhudhia Singh from Odisha aged 3 when he ran his first marathon making him the youngest person to ever run a marathon.
These events have large crowd cheering the participants and are covered by media.
Marathons that are held throughout the year are listed in the following website :
http://indiarunning.com/marathon-calendar.htmlA marathon for a beginner takes 4 months of preparation to just complete it. Preparing for participation itself would push a person to eat healthy and run at least four times a week. This activity will help in improving a person's physically and mentally thus making it a great choice of exercise. It would make a good commitment and test to oneself by enrolling into a marathon. The path covering the marathon is usually visually beautiful and the practice in a team and the run gives an opportunity to meet new people with same enthusiasm.
