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Books about Marathon :
Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World : From Marathon to Waterloo
Marathon : The Ultimate Training Guide
How to Train for and Run Your Best Marathon
On the plain of Marathon in Greece, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Athens, may be seen a great
mound nearly 50 feet (15 meters) high. Beneath it lie the remains of 192 gallant Athenians who gave their lives
in 490 BC to preserve Greece from conquest by the Persian forces of Darius the Great (see Persian
Wars). The mound raised by their fellow citizens to commemorate these heroes was excavated in 1890 and the
relics uncovered.
There is a legend that the runner Pheidippides brought news of the victory to Athens, where he died shouting, "Rejoice!
We conquer!" To honor that legendary runner, the marathon race was made a part of the modern Olympic Games,
first held in Athens in 1896 (see Olympic Games). In later games the distance for the
race was set at 26 miles 385 yards.
Many cities in the United States and in other countries now host regularly scheduled marathon races. One of these
races, the Boston Marathon, was first run in 1897. Athletes from all parts of the world have participated, and
since 1945 many winners have been from other countries. Other popular American marathons include the New York Marathon
and the Chicago Marathon. The marathons are run on special routes marked off in the streets of host cities. In
South Africa the Comrades' Marathon is run over an 86-kilometer (53-mile) course. The winners in some locations
receive generous prizes provided by corporate sponsors. Most runners, however, participate because they enjoy running
and the challenge. Men and women of various ages take part, but serious competitors must train long and rigorously.
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