While gearing up to participate in next month’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, you might be wondering how this tradition of a Marathon started…
Here’s a short history lesson on how it all began:
Legend holds that the world’s first marathon was run — unintentionally — in 490 B.C. by a Greek soldier, Pheidippides, who ran the 25 miles to Athens from the town of Marathon to announce a battleground victory over the Persians. “Greetings, we win!” he shouted — and then fell to the ground, dead.
It would be more than 2,000 years before the marathon would make its return, at the revival of the modern Olympic Games in Greece in 1896. In that event, 17 runners ran 40 km, or 24.8 miles, with Greek runner Spyridon Louis taking the gold medal with a time of 2 hr. 58 min. 50 sec.
Inspired by the event’s success, Boston inaugurated its race the next year; it is now the oldest annual marathon in the world. In 1908, the marathon course at the London Olympics ran from Windsor Castle to the royal box at the Olympic stadium in White City (some sources say the Princess of Wales wanted her children to watch the start of the race from their home). The length of the race continued varying for years, but in 1924 that specific distance — 42,195 m, or 26 miles, 385 yd. — was made the worldwide standard.
The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon started in 1990 (then called the Coors Light Toronto Half-Marathon & 5k) with only 1,500 participants. Last year’s Marathon boasted over 14,000 participants in the 5k, Half Marathon and Full Marathon. Now in its 21st year, the Scotiabank Marathon is incredibly popular for being “flat, fast & festive” and one of the most competitive Marathon events in North America.
Whether you’ll be participating in the Full Marathon, Half Marathon or 5km, you’ll be taking part in a little piece of history!
Source: Randy James, Time. “A Brief History of the Marathon”. October 30, 2009. www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1933342,00.html. (July 20, 2011).
