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How was marathon distance decided?
Indeed, when the International Amateur Athletic Federation convened to standardize the marathon, they chose the old London distance of 26 miles and 385 yards—or 26.219 miles. Writing for Reuters, Steven Downes concluded that, “the marathon race may have been as much a Conan Doyle creation as Sherlock Holmes.”
Why was the distance of the marathon changed?
In order to complement the first Olympic Games in 1896 as well as Greek legend, the first Boston Marathon was only 24.8 miles. The distance changed to 26.2 miles following the 1924 Paris Olympic Games to align with the new standard.
Who decided marathon length?
International Amateur Athletic Federation
The modern 42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi) standard distance for the marathon was set by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) in May 1921 directly from the length used at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
Why are modern marathon races exactly 26 miles 385 yards?
For the 1908 London Olympics, the course was laid out from Windsor Castle to White City stadium, about 26 miles. However, to locate the finish line in front of the royal family’s viewing box, an extra 385 yards was added inside the stadium. Hence the marathon tradition of yelling “God save the Queen” in the last mile.
How did the marathon start?
In the 5th century B.C., the Persians invaded Greece, landing at Marathon, a small town about 26 miles from the city of Athens. The traditional origin of the marathon comes from the story how a herald named Phidippides ran the 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory and died on the spot.
Which emperor banned the Olympics in 393 AD?
Emperor Theodosius I
Emperor Theodosius I banned the games in 393 AD in order to promote Christianity. He deemed the games equivalent to paganism and had them done away with.
How far did Spartans run?
Thus was the battle ultimately waged and won at Marathon. Eventually, the Spartans arrived in Athens and learned of the outcome. Before they got there, a messenger—but not Pheidippides, according to scholars—had run 25 miles to deliver the good news.
When was the distance set for the marathon?
The definitive distance for the marathon race was determined in 1921 by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF). The distance chosen was the one ran in London in 1908 : 26 miles 385 yards or 42.195 km.
Why is the marathon 26 miles and 385 yards?
The marathon is hailed as the ultimate test of endurance. But why is it exactly 26 miles and 385 yards long? The answer has less to do with ancient Greece, and more to do with the British Royal Family. When London held the games in 1908, there was still no official marathon length.
What’s the official distance of the Boston Marathon?
Participant of the 2016 Boston Marathon, April 2016. The marathon is a long-distance race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (approximately 26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race.
How long was the marathon in the first Olympics?
In fact, from the first Modern Olympics through 1920, a span of seven Olympics, a total of SIX different distances were used in the marathon! In 1896 and 1904, the distance was 24.85 miles, in 1900 25.02 miles, in 1906 26.01 miles, 1908 26.22 miles, 1912 24.98 miles and in 1920, 26.56 miles.