Marathon
Marathons
The marathon, a running event of 26.22 miles, is named after the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides. It is said that he ran, without stopping, from Marathon to Athens to announce the defeat of the Persians and then died from exhaustion. The actual name of the runner has changed and Pheidippides is also named in historical accounts as the runner who went from Athens to Sparta to ask for help. It is said that this fabled run was actually around 21 miles instead of the now traditional 26.22. Whatever the mileage it is still a feat that takes great conditioning to achieve. It is said that a person should take at least four months to train for a marathon and that the more miles ran each day will achieve better results. Even though it is considered a fairly accessible event it is not recommended for someone who is not at the proper fitness level.
Sponsored Links
  |
Marathon Running
A marathon is considered a pinnacle achievement for an amateur runner. It takes a great deal of time and dedication to condition for the event. Some marathons, like the Boston Marathon, have strict times to qualify. This has led some to call the Boston Marathon the “people’s Olympic event.” Other marathons don’t require a qualifying time but will set a time limit on when competitors must be finished. This time limit could be anywhere from 6 ½ hours to 8 depending on the location and rules of the event. Many well known marathons are road races and use city streets and paved trails. There are some that are off-road, using hiking and mountain trails instead. Historically the distance ran in a marathon was not a fixed distance until 1921 when 26.22 miles was adopted as the official marathon distance. This is because of the popularity of the Polytechnic Marathon that originated from the 1908 London Olympics. The Poly, as it was referred to, used the distance of 26.22 miles from 1908 and the marathon continued from 1909 to 1996.
Rome Marathon
The Rome Marathon has been held since the early 1900s. The current course starts and ends near the Colosseum and has been organized by the current staff since 1995 and its Web site records the current history of this event. Information is also provided regarding registration and booking accommodations for entrants in the Rome Marathon. The course takes a runner past some of the well known sites through out the city, including a stretch past the Vatican.
