The Real Story Behind How The Marathon Race Got Its Name
These are the historical details most people don’t know about
The first-ever marathon took place in Athens, Greece, in 1896 and was a distance of about 25 miles. Greek water-carrier Spyridon Louis, became a local hero after winning the event. It’s been said that this inaugural race was coined as a “Marathon” after Pheidippides, a runner for the Athenian army who had run 24 miles from Marathon back to Athens, to inform its people of a victory over the Persian army.
While this legendary run is an inspiring story, it leaves out so much of the detail that paint the picture of what the Marathon truly represents today. For a lot of people, this race is a bucket-list item, one achieved with dedicated training and extreme mental will-power.
To fully appreciate the origin story of the Marathon, and perhaps motivate you for your next marathon or to help you impress your friends and family with your knowledge of history, we need to tell the full story of the Battle of Marathon that involved the Athenian army defending their city from the Persian army.
