According to legend, a Greek soldier named Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens to announce the victory of the Greeks over the Persians. The distance between Marathon and Athens is approximately 26 miles, and Pheidippides is said to have collapsed and died upon delivering his message.
In 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece, and the marathon race was included as one of the events. The distance of the marathon was set at 26 miles and 385 yards, which is the distance from the town of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.
Today, marathons are held all over the world and are a popular form of long-distance running.