Greek legend
In 490 BC the Greeks and Persians were fighting each other in the Battle of Marathon. The Greeks were winning, but a soldier named Pheidippides noticed a Persian ship change its course and head towards Athens.
Afraid the Persians were going to raid Athens, he decided to run to Athens and warn them. Athens was 42 km away, and he tossed aside his weapons and then his clothes as he ran.
He burst into the assembly at Athens and exclaimed to the shocked council "We have won!" before collapsing.
His epic run to warn everyone of the approaching Persians became famous and running a 'Marathon' is now a sporting event.
Marathon
The modern Olympic Games began in 1896 and organizers looked for an event from ancient Greece to celebrate the occasion.
They thought of the story of Pheidippides and decided to have a running race, which they called the Marathon. It is a race of 42 km, exactly the distance from Marathon to Athens.
It was a huge success and today a Marathon is run at every Olympic Games. Marathons and half Marathons are run elsewhere too.
Marathons can be serious races ... or just fun events
Oldest runner - half marathon
The oldest runner of a half marathon is William Cooksey from the UK who was 102 years old when he ran in 2023!
He finished the race in 5 hours and 41 minutes. Not bad! Younger people can do it in an hour, but most take at least 2 hours.
Oldest runner - marathon
The oldest runner of a full marathon was an Indian gentleman named Fauja Singh. He was 100 years old when he ran a marathon.
The press nick-named him the Turbaned Tornado. His name should have gone in the Guinness World Records but as he didn't have a birth certificate they could not accept his achievement. (He was born in India before birth certificates were required)
He carried the Olympic flame at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
He died when he was 114 years old - and then only because he was run over when he was crossing a road!
He said he lived such a long life because he never smoked or drank alcohol and had a simple vegetarian diet.
Point to Pinnacle
The toughest half marathon in the world is in Tasmania.
Runners start in Hobart and run uphill to the top of Mt Wellington, which is 1,270 metres above sea level.
It's an exhausting run, but the views are spectacular!
Australia Tower on the top of Mount Wellington near Hobart, Tasmania. Author =Adavyd. Date =2003-08-04
Joshua the Goat
1 minute
Ludivine the bloodhound
1 minute
It's not just goats that run in marathons ...
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