This morning, our cheery TV One breakfast hosts took great delight in telling us that the marathon is 26 miles 385 yards because that’s how far that mythical naked Greek fella ran from Marathon to Athens.
Wrong … wrong .... plain wrong…
It is in fact around 24 miles (or 38.5 km) from Marathon to Athens.
The Marathon distance was established at the London Olympics because of various contingencies that I will not go into here?
Partly right.
It was finally fixed at the 1920 Olympics and the London Olympic distance of 26 miles 385 yards (42. 195km) was chosen.
Why?
Because of the King and Queen at the London Olympics?
Not directly.
It was all because of two skinny young guys: Dorando Pietri and Tommy Hayes. Dorando the Italian was disqualified because someone gave him assistance in the final lap. Tommy Hayes the American won.
Pietri and Hayes turned professional. They started a series of epic battles over the “marathon” and the London distance was chosen for them.
In major international marathons, the runners run 26 miles, 385 yards?
No
They probably run 26 miles 431 yards.
Why?
To be safe the IAAF adds 1 extra metre for every kilometer. By the way, down in old Nu Zulun we spell it kilometer not kilometer. But that, dear reader, is another story.
1 comment:
ha I see
Post a Comment