What is the history of marathons?

The history of the contemporary marathon begins in ancient Greece. Athens, which was around 25 miles away, was to be informed of the Battle of Marathon by a messenger named Philippides. He died after informing them that the Greeks had triumphed when he arrived at the Acropolis.

When the Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, it was agreed to hold a race that followed Philippides' path. So they planned the "Marathon," a 25-mile race from Marathon to Athens.

From there, according on the itinerary chosen by the organizers, the distance varied somewhat between 24.85 miles and 26.56 miles. However, in 1908, during the London Olympics, the organizers chose to alter the course so that it would pass the Royal Box, which resulted in a 26.2 mile race. Following that, there was significant variation until the standard was established in 1921 based on the 1908 Olympic marathon distance.