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Marathon

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A heartwarming moment from the Barcelona Marathon where a young girl brings a smile to a tired runner.

What is a Marathon?

A marathon is a long race that runners do on roads. It is about 42 kilometres or 26 miles long. People run it for fun or to raise money for good causes. Some people even run in wheelchairs!

Where Do Marathons Happen?

More than 800 marathons happen around the world every year. Big cities like London, New York City, and Berlin have famous marathons. People of all ages can join, and some races even have special groups for people who use wheelchairs.

Why Do People Run Marathons?

The marathon started a long time ago in Ancient Greece. A runner named Pheidippides is said to have run to share news of a big victory. Today, marathons are also part of the big Olympic Games. Running a marathon is a big challenge, and many people train for months to finish it.

Fun Facts

  • The first modern Olympic marathon was run in Athens in 1896.
  • Marathons can be run in many places, like on the Great Wall of China or even between countries like in the Istanbul Marathon.
  • Some marathons happen at night to raise money for special causes, like fighting breast cancer.

Marathons are exciting events that bring people together from all over the world!

Images

Runners participating in the 2017 ČSOB Bratislava Marathon, showcasing a fun and healthy sporting event.
Athletes preparing for the marathon race at the 1896 Athens Olympics.
Samuel Wanjiru competing in the men's marathon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Runners at the starting line of the Helsinki City Marathon, ready to begin their race through the city.
Runners participating in the Boston Marathon in 2009, showcasing athletes from different countries competing together.
A participant in the 2011 Boston Marathon, capturing the spirit of a major international running event.
Runners at the starting line of the Stockholm Marathon in 2009.
A runner helps a friend along during the Boston Marathon, showing sportsmanship and support.
A volunteer at the Boston Marathon handing out drinks to runners during the race.
Map showing the route of NASA's Mars rover Opportunity as it approaches a marathon distance on Mars, with key landmarks and planned paths marked.

Related articles

Ancient Greece
Athens
Great Wall of China

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Marathon, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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