Guestling Bradshaw CE Primary School
THE MARATHON
HISTORY
The marathon is a long-distance running race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards). It was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, although the exact distance was not fixed until 1921. More than 500 marathons are run throughout the world each year, with most of the competitors being recreational athletes. Larger marathons, like the London Marathon can have tens of thousands of people taking part (there were 35,000 places available this year - all taken).
The name marathon comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. The legend states that in August or September 490 BC, he was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon (in which he had just fought). It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the assembly, exclaiming 'We have won!' before collapsing and dying.
THE LONDON MARATHON
The London Marathon has been held each year since 1981, usually in April. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money and is one of the top five international marathons. According to the race organisers, the London Marathon is the largest annual fundraising event on the planet – runners have raised nearly £500 million for good causes since the race began.
Set over a largely flat course around the River Thames, the London Marathon is generally regarded as a highly competitive event, leading to fast times. It is the only Marathon course in the world that is run in two hemispheres, both the East and West, as the full course crosses the Prime Meridian in Greenwich. There are also two wheelchair races (for men and women) over the same 26.2 mile course.
Many people take part in fancy dress – a man once ran in an old-fashioned deep sea diving suit weighing over 100 lbs, earning himself a place in the record books as the slowest marathon runner ever!
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WORLD RECORDS
World Records were not officially recognised by the IAAF until January 1, 2004 and courses must conform to their strict standards for a record to be recognised. The fastest times are set over relatively flat courses near sea level, during good weather conditions and with the help of pacesetters.
The world record for women was set by Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain in the London Marathon on April 13th 2003, in 2 hours 15 minutes and 25 seconds.
The world record time for men over the distance is 2 hours 2 minutes and 57 seconds, set in the Berlin Marathon by Dennis Kimetto of Kenya on September 28th 2014. Could anyone break the 2 hour barrier?
YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD...
The oldest man to have completed a marathon is 100 year-old Fauja Singh from London who finished the Toronto Marathon in 2011 in 8 hours 25 minutes and 16 seconds - and he wasn't last! His personal best time was an amazing 5 hours and 40 mins at the age of 92.
Mr Singh only took up serious running at the age of 89, and at the age of 103 still runs or walks every day, although he has given up professional training. He puts his fitness and long life down to a simple vegetarian diet, no smoking and no alcohol.
Sadly, his name will not appear in the Guinness Book of Records, as he does not have a birth certificate to prove his age, only a passport - and a card from the Queen congratulating him on his 100th birthday!
UNUSUAL MARATHONS
Some of the more unusual marathons include: the Midnight Sun Marathon held in Tromsø, Norway at 70 degrees north; The Great Wall Marathon on The Great Wall of China; The Big Five Marathon, among the safari wildlife of South Africa; The Great Tibetan Marathon, a marathon in an atmosphere of Tibetan Buddhism at an altitude of 3,500 metres, and The Polar Circle Marathon, on the permanent ice cap of Greenland at -15 degrees C.
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