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themarathonwasnotaneventoftheancientolympicgames.themarathonisamoderneventthatwasfirstintroducedinthemodernolympicgamesof1896inathens,aracefrommarathonnortheastofathenstotheolympicstadium,adistanceof40kilometers.
theracememoratestherunofpheidippides,anancient"day-runner"whocarriedthenewsofthepersianlandingatmarathonof490b.c.tosparta(adistanceof149miles)inordertoenlisthelpforthebattle.aordingtothefifthcenturyb.c.ancientgreekhistorianherodotus,pheidippidesdeliveredthenewstothespartansthenextday.
thedistanceofthemodernmarathonwasstandardizedas26miles385yardsor42.195km.in1908whentheolympicgameswereheldinlondon.thedistancewastheexactmeasurementbetweenwindsorcastle,thestartoftherace,andthefinishlineinsidewhitecitystadium.