Surely we’ve all heard of marathons and maybe even participated in one, but rarely does anyone ask how they came about or try to give them a definition. A marathon is a running event over a distance of 42.195 km. Most marathons are run as a road race, although there are some that are run as cross country or on gravel roads.
The origin of the marathon dates back to around 490 BC, when the Persians invaded Greece. The most popular legend depicts a Greek messenger, Pheidippides, whose task was to inform the people of Athens that the Greeks had defeated the Persians in the Battle of Marathon. Pheidippides considered this a very important mission and therefore set off on foot and ran non-stop. When he reached the gates of Athens, he entered the government assembly and proclaimed Greek victory, where he fell to the ground and died of exhaustion.
The distance of a marathon also originated in this story. The distance between the two cities, Marathon and Athens, is about 40.8 km along the longest southern route. And this was also the route used during the first Olympic Games in 1896. Since then, the marathon has been part of the Olympic Games programme. The standard distance for a marathon is now 42.195 km, which also explains why a half marathon is 21.1 km.
Why run a marathon?
The most obvious reasons people sign up for running marathons are the positive effects on health and mental well-being. While there are some people who worry about the damage it can do to the body if it’s not prepared enough, the overall benefits tend to outweigh these concerns. Effects such as weight loss and cardiovascular health are well known, but research is continually revealing new benefits. Running reduces years of ‘artery age’, for example, and a recent study led by the University of Augsburg showed a possible link between improved cognitive function and better eye health.
Another reason why some people start to take an interest in running a marathon is that they see others doing it and find it interesting.
And, in some cases, because they are just following the herd and don’t really know much about some of the details, they get confused thinking that a marathon is a race where each participant wants to get to the finish line first. The difference is that a marathon is not about who gets to the finish line first, whereas, on the other hand, a race can be just about that. And there are many different athletics races run in the Olympics, such as sprints, distance and hurdles.
Races of all kinds have become popular because they ignite our competitive spirit. Whether they are held online, such as casino races, which consist of many rounds and spins, or offline, such as horse races, where people want to participate and chase a particular runner, these “gatherings” are created around the concept of winning based on speed.
While every runner has different reasons for signing up for a marathon, there are some general trends that researchers have observed at the root of people’s attraction to long-distance racing. One of these trends is that demonstrating the ability to run a marathon race was a significant life event for a person and can impact their beliefs about successfully executing potential future achievements.
Endurance running can also be a way to achieve social status. By showing that you are capable of a distance run, you project around the idea of productivity and efficiency, similar to cultivating a personal brand. This effect is only supercharged through social fitness apps, which allow runners to share their achievements.
People everywhere still continue to sign up for marathons with no hope of winning a gold medal or getting their name in the history books. Training requires a major commitment of time, energy and… sweat.
