Ku sii qor faqradan - Tartanka Marathon waxaa markii ugu horreysay la qabtay 1896, laakiin masaafada ma aysan caadi ka dhigin Ururka Caalamiga ah ee Ciyaaraha fudud (IAAF) ilaa 1921. Masaafada dhabta ah ee tartamada ka hor 1921 waxay inta badan wax yar ka duwanaayeen tirada hadda jirta ee 42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards). Tartamada isreebreebka ah ee Olombikada xagaaga ee 1896, orodyahannada Giriigga ah ee Charilaos Vasilakos (3:18:00) iyo Ioannis Lavrentis (3:11:27) ayaa ku guuleystay labadii marathon ee ugu horreeyay ee casriga ah. Bishii Abriil 10, 1896, Spiridon Louis oo u dhashay dalka Giriigga ayaa ku guuleystay orodkii ugu horreeyay ee Olombikada ee Athens, Giriigga waqtigiisu wuxuu ahaa 2:58:50; si kastaba ha noqotee, masaafada loo socdo dhacdada ayaa la sheegay inay tahay 40,000 oo mitir oo keliya. Saddex bilood ka dib, orodyahankii Ingiriiska Len Hurst ayaa ku guuleystay tartankii ugu horreeyay ee Paris ilaa Conflans Marathon (sidoo kale qiyaastii 40 km) waqtigii ahaa 2:31:30. Sanadkii 1900, Hurst wuxuu ku fiicnaan lahaa waqtigiisa isla koorsadaas oo leh waxqabadka 2:26:28. Markii dambe, Shizo Kanakuri oo reer Japan ah ayaa la sheegay inuu dhigay rikoor caalami ah oo ah 2:32:45 tartan isreebreeb gudaha ah bishii Nofeembar 1911 ee tartanka isreebreebka Olombikada Xagaaga ee 1912, laakiin waxqabadkan ayaa sidoo kale lagu socday masaafo qiyaastii 40 km ah. Marathon-kii ugu horreeyay ee masaafada hadda rasmiga ah waxaa ku guuleystay Johnny Hayes oo Mareykan ah ciyaarihii Olombikada ee xagaaga ee 1908
, oo leh wakhti dhan 2:55:18.4.