MARATHON RACE, a race run over a distance of 26m. 385yds., which still commemorates the epic feat of Pheidippides in 490 B.C. News had reached the Athenians that Darius the Mede was crossing the Aegean sea to conquer the Greek States. Phei dippides, an Olympic champion runner, was despatched to enlist the aid of the Spartans. For two days and two nights he trav elled, swimming the rivers and climbing the mountains in his path. Then he returned with the news that the Spartan army would start at the full moon. Meanwhile the Persians had landed and the Athenians, accompanied by Pheidippides, bearing his long spear and heavy shield, set out to meet the invaders in battle at Marathon. That encounter resulted in a victory for thz Greeks and, forthwith, Pheidippides set out to bear the news to the cap ital. Unencumbered by his weapons he ran the 22 miles from Marathon to Athens, only to fall dead on the outskirts of the city as he gasped (in Greek), "Rejoice, we conquer!" When the Olympic games were reinstated at Athens in 1896 a marathon race was included in the programme and, most appro priately, won by Loues, a Greek peasant, who covered the course in 2 hours 55mins. 2osecs. The scenes which signallized the success of Loues were remarkable. When he entered the stadium at the end of the race, the Greek spectators rose as one man to celebrate their countryman's victory, women tore off their jewel lery to fling it at his feet, a hotel proprietor gave him an order for 365 free meals, and even a street urchin pressed forward with the promise to black his boots for nothing for the rest of his life. Another memorable marathon race was that of 1908, run from Windsor Castle to the Olympic stadium at Shepherd's Bush, Lon don. In that year the 2,000-year-old tragedy of Pheidippides was very nearly repeated. Dorando Pietri, 23 years of age and a restaurant waiter by calling, was entered as the chief representa tive of Italy. The race was run in exceptionally hot weather and the British representatives set up a pace at the start which was largely responsible for the terrible condition of the leading run ners at the finish. Many of the 75 competitors who had started from Windsor collapsed by the way. Dorando, who ran pluckily throughout, was forced to abate his pace to a crawl when ap proaching the Stadium and collapsed, for the first time, at the entrance to the track; first aid was rendered and he rose to totter on around the arena. Fifty yards further and he went down again, and was again helped up. He fell for the third time and was afterwards almost carried past the winning post. Not un
naturally, protests were lodged by J. J. Hayes, U.S.A., and C. Hefferon, South Africa, who had finished second and third respec tively, and Dorando Pietri, who could never have reached the tape without assistance, was disqualified. Her Majesty, the late Queen Alexandra, however, presented the plucky little Italian with a gold cup.
The event is now regarded as the blue-ribbon of the Olympic games and is honoured as a championship in all countries. Of the Olympic victors the United States, Finland, and France have each produced two, the other victors coming singly from Greece, South Africa, Argentina, and Japan.
It is impossible to assess truly either the world's or Olympic records on account of the varying conditions in different coun tries.
The fastest time recorded is that of K. Son, Japan, who won the Olympic Marathon Race, 1936, in 2 hrs. 29 mins. 19.2 secs., beating E. Harper, Great Britain, by 2 mins. 4 secs. In 1932 S. Ferris, Great Britain, was second to J. Zabala, Argentina.
Great Britain has been unfortunate in this event. In 1932 J. Zabala was forced to make a new Olympic record of 2 hrs. 31 mins. 36 secs. to beat S. Ferris; and although Harper beat this in 1936 by 12.8 secs., a badly blistered foot prevented him from keeping on terms with K. Son of Japan.
Marathon racing is far more strenuous than any form of track or cross-country running, since it is all road-work. The runner who aspires to marathon fame must go through a period of at least three months' rigorous training to make himself sound in wind and limb, so that he may gradually, and by constant prac tice, bring his muscles and sinews to the highest pitch of endur ance. In this form of racing it is the pace and not the distance that kills. Style counts for little over this trying course. Tall, heavy runners are not well suited to the event. Small, light men, with powerful legs and plenty of lung and heart room, are the most likely to develop into long-distance champions, and to this class belong Dorando Pietri, J. J. Hayes and the Finnish Olympic champions, Hannes Kolehmainen and A. 0. Stenross. It is un wise for young and immature athletes to attempt the marathon distance; it has, indeed, been proved that men of over 3o years are generally best fitted for this endurance race—witness the re peated success of Paavo Nurmi, Finland, in the Boston marathon.