0_Wizard
I have been learning about marathons. Not sure if I want to join one yet. A marathon is a long distance running race that can go as long as 26 miles.
The marathon is a long-distance running race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles, or 26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race.
chosen_Marathon_0
Marathon
chosen_topic_0_Marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles, or 26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, who reported the victory. The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
Long-distance running
Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least eight kilometres (5 miles). Physiologically, it is largely aerobic in nature and requires stamina as well as mental strength. Among mammals, humans are well adapted for running significant distances, and particularly so among primates. The endurance running hypothesis suggests that running endurance in the "Homo" genus arose because travelling over large areas improved scavenging opportunities and allowed persistence hunting. The capacity for endurance running is also found in migratory ungulates and a limited number of terrestrial carnivores, such as dogs, wolves and hyenas.
Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon
The men's marathon race of the 1908 Summer Olympics took place in London on 24 July 1908. Johnny Hayes won after Dorando Pietri was disqualified for having received assistance before the finish line. For the first time in an Olympic marathon, the distance was 26 miles, 385 yards (42 195 m), which would become the standard distance in 1921. 75 competitors entered the race, of whom 55 from 16 nations started, with 27 from 11 nations finishing. At a meeting of the International Olympic Committee in The Hague in May 1907 it was agreed with the British Olympic Association that the 1908 Olympics would include a marathon of about 25 miles or 40 kilometres.
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon (branded TCS New York City Marathon and formerly branded ING New York City Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual marathon () that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is the largest marathon in the world, with 51,394 finishers in 2016 and 98,247 applicants for the 2017 race. Along with the Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon, it is among the pre-eminent long-distance annual running events in the United States and is one of the World Marathon Majors. The race is organized by New York Road Runners and has been run every year since 1970, with the exception of 2012, when it was cancelled due to the landfall of Hurricane Sandy.
London Marathon
The London Marathon (presently known through sponsorship as the Virgin Money London Marathon) is a long-distance running event held in London, United Kingdom, part of the World Marathon Majors. The event was first run on 29 March 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since. Since 2010, the race has been sponsored by Virgin Money. The most recent event was the 2017 London Marathon on 23 April 2017. The date of the next London Marathon is Sunday 22 April 2018. The race was founded by the former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher and athlete John Disley. It is organised by Hugh Brasher (son of Chris) as Race Director and Nick Bitel as Chief Executive.
Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila (; August 7, 1932 – October 25, 1973) was an Ethiopian double Olympic marathon champion. He won the marathon at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome while running barefoot, setting a world record. At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Abebe was the first athlete to successfully defend an Olympic marathon title, breaking his own world record in the process. He was a member of the Ethiopian Imperial Guard, an elite infantry division that safeguarded the Emperor of Ethiopia. Enlisting as a soldier before his athletic career, he rose to the rank of "shambel" (captain). In Ethiopia, Abebe is formally known as "Shambel" Abebe Bikila ().
Track and field
Track and field is a sport which includes athletic contests established on the skills of running, jumping, and throwing. The name is derived from the sport's typical venue: a stadium with an oval running track enclosing a grass field where the throwing and jumping events take place. Track and field is categorized under the umbrella sport of athletics, which also includes road running, cross country running, and race walking. The foot racing events, which include sprints, middle- and long-distance events, race walking and hurdling, are won by the athlete with the fastest time. The jumping and throwing events are won by the athlete who achieves the greatest distance or height.
1_Apprentice
Please tell me more about marathons 
0_Wizard
The marathon was the original Olympic event that started in 1896.
The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921.
chosen_Marathon_0
Marathon
chosen_topic_0_Marathon
Track and field
Track and field is a sport which includes athletic contests established on the skills of running, jumping, and throwing. The name is derived from the sport's typical venue: a stadium with an oval running track enclosing a grass field where the throwing and jumping events take place. Track and field is categorized under the umbrella sport of athletics, which also includes road running, cross country running, and race walking. The foot racing events, which include sprints, middle- and long-distance events, race walking and hurdling, are won by the athlete with the fastest time. The jumping and throwing events are won by the athlete who achieves the greatest distance or height.
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles, or 26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, who reported the victory. The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games () or the Games of the Olympiad, first held in 1896, is an international multi-sport event that is hosted by a different city every four years. The most recent Olympics were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The International Olympic Committee organizes the games and oversees the host city's preparations. In each Olympic event, gold medals are awarded for first place, silver medals are awarded for second place, and bronze medals are awarded for third; this tradition began in 1904. The Winter Olympic Games were created due to the success of the Summer Olympics. The Olympics have increased in scope from a 42-event competition with fewer than 250 male competitors from 14 nations in 1896 to 302 events with 10,768 competitors (5,992 men, 4,776 women) from 204 nations in 2012.
Jamaica at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Jamaica sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. This was, by far, Jamaica's best showing at the Summer Olympics; it was the nation's largest delegation yet, and its athletes nearly doubled its total gold medal count in addition to breaking the nation's record for number of medals earned in a single games. Jamaica's appearance at Beijing was its fifteenth consecutive appearance and appearance as an independent nation, although it had previously participated in four other games (including its 1948 debut) as a British colony and as part of the West Indies Federation.
Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics () are leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games are considered the world's foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating. The Olympic Games are held every four years, with the Summer and Winter Games alternating by occurring every four years but two years apart. Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD.
2012 Olympic Marathon Course
The 2012 Olympic Marathon Course is that of both the men's and women's marathon races at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London. The route consists of one short circuit of followed by three circuits of . The course, which was designed to pass many of London's well-known landmarks, starts and finishes on The Mall, within sight of Buckingham Palace, and extends as far as the Tower of London in the east and the Victoria Memorial in the west. The route of the marathon had been changed, for various logistical reasons, from that originally envisaged in London's original 2005 bid for the Games and broke with the normal Olympic tradition that the race finishes inside the main Olympic Stadium.
Timeline of women's sports
This is a timeline of women's sports. 6th century BCE – The Heraean Games are the first recorded women's athletic competition, held in the stadium at Olympia. 25–220 – The ancient game of Tsu Chu may have been played by women during the Han Dynasty; two female figures are depicted in frescoes dating from this period, playing Tsu Chu. There are a number of opinions about the dates, the earliest estimates are 5000 BCE. 1493 – When Beatrice d'Este visited Venice, a regatta was held in which fifty peasant women competed. 1567 – Mary, Queen of Scots is said to be the first woman to play golf in Scotland at Musselburgh Links.
1_Apprentice
So it started at the Olympics 
0_Wizard
Yeah, and it continues till today. There are around 800 marathons held every year through out the world! Most runners are recreations rather than professionals.
More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
chosen_Marathon_0
Marathon
chosen_topic_0_Marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles, or 26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, who reported the victory. The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
Chicago Marathon
The Chicago Marathon is a marathon held yearly in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London, Berlin, and Tokyo Marathons, it is one of the six World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race. The Chicago Marathon is the fourth-largest race by number of finishers worldwide. The October 8, 2017 running was the 40th anniversary of the race. The first race was held on September 25, 1977 under the original name the Mayor Daley Marathon, which drew a field of 4,200 runners. The race has been held every year since, except in 1987 when only a half-marathon was run.
Running
Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is in contrast to walking, where one foot is always in contact with the ground, the legs are kept mostly straight and the center of gravity vaults over the stance leg or legs in an inverted pendulum fashion. A characteristic feature of a running body from the viewpoint of spring-mass mechanics is that changes in kinetic and potential energy within a stride occur simultaneously, with energy storage accomplished by springy tendons and passive muscle elasticity.
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by several cities in greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States. It is always held on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, inspired by the success of the first marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's best-known road racing events. It is one of six World Marathon Majors, and is one of five major events held in the United States through the years of both World Wars (the Kentucky Derby, Penn Relays, Rose Parade, and Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show are the others).
History of Austria
The history of Austria covers the history of Austria and its predecessor states, from the early Stone Age to the present state. The name "Ostarrîchi" (Austria) has been in use since 996 AD when it was a margravate of the Duchy of Bavaria and from 1156 an independent duchy (later archduchy) of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation ("Heiliges Römisches Reich" 962–1806). Austria was dominated by the House of Habsburg ("Haus Österreich") from 1273 to 1806, when the Holy Roman Empire came to an end. Austria then became the Austrian Empire, a part of the German Confederation until the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which Austria lost and was subsequently excluded from German affairs.
Umueze Anam
Umueze Anam is a community in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. It is said that Umueze Anam was founded by one hunter from Amadioba Nteje known as Nwavor in the 17th century. As a hunter, he used to hunt for game around the Omambala River when he found a peaceful peninsula across the river and settled there. Nwavor was accused of having a hand in the death of his archrival a kinsman of his and in other to free himself from the accusation decided to leave Nteje and settle at Odah. He first arrived at a place called Odah Anam where he found a lot of wildlife and fertile land for agricultural purposes.
List of Allsvenskan players
This is a list of Allsvenskan players who have made 200 or more appearances in Allsvenskan. Current Allsvenskan players are shown in blue. Most matches has Sven Andersson played, 431 matches and most goals has Sven Jonasson, with 254 goals. "Matches of current Allsvenskan players as of 22 January 2015."
1_Apprentice
Who were some of the first athletes 
0_Wizard
The first athlete was a greek messenger called Puilippides and from him is where the word Marathon comes from.
The name "Marathon" comes from the legend of Philippides or Pheidippides, the Greek messenger.
chosen_Marathon_0
Marathon
chosen_topic_0_Marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running race with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles, or 26 miles 385 yards), usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, who reported the victory. The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
Abdul Kahar Muzakkar
Abdul Kahar Muzakkar was the leader of an Islamic movement in South Sulawesi from 1950 till his death in 1965. He led his group of men in a guerrilla warfare against the Indonesian central government, and was finally killed by the army in the jungle. He was also the leader of the South Sulawesi branch of the Darul Islam movement. Born on 24 March 1920 in the Kingdom of Luwu, a smaller principality on the northern end of the Gulf of Bone, Abdul Kahar Muzakkar was formerly known as Ladomeng. Ladomeng is a Buginese word derived from 'dominoes', an allusion to his father who was playing cards at the time he was born.
Izhandha Kadhal
Izhandha Kadhal () is a 1941 Indian, Tamil language film directed by K. S. Mani. The film featured N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Mathuram, Trichur Premavathi and K. P. Kamatchi in the lead roles. A rich man on his death bed gave 5000 rupees to his trusted friend and asked him to take care of his motherless daughter Padma and to marry her to Jagadish when she comes to the right age. The friend, Somanathan Pillai undertakes his friend's request. Padma comes to live with Somanathan Pillai's family. Jayapalan, a son of Somanathan Pillai, likes Padma. They become lovers. However, Somanathan Pillai forcibly marries Padma to Jagdish as per his dead friend's wish.
Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila (; August 7, 1932 – October 25, 1973) was an Ethiopian double Olympic marathon champion. He won the marathon at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome while running barefoot, setting a world record. At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Abebe was the first athlete to successfully defend an Olympic marathon title, breaking his own world record in the process. He was a member of the Ethiopian Imperial Guard, an elite infantry division that safeguarded the Emperor of Ethiopia. Enlisting as a soldier before his athletic career, he rose to the rank of "shambel" (captain). In Ethiopia, Abebe is formally known as "Shambel" Abebe Bikila ().
Mo Farah
Sir Mohamed Muktar Jama "Mo" Farah, (; born 23 March 1983) is Britain's most successful-ever distance runner. On the track, he mostly competed over 5000 metres and 10,000 metres, but has run competitively from 1500 metres to the marathon. In 2017 he indicated his intention to switch wholly to road racing following victory at his final track race, the 2017 IAAF Diamond League 5000 metres final. His running style has been described as "bouncy" and tactical, which he has attempted to alter for a more efficient and energy-saving stride pattern, especially in the longer distances. Farah runs distance races tactically, a style which is aided by his quick sprint finish.
Battle of Marathon
The Battle of Marathon (Greek: , "Machē tou Marathōnos") took place in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece. It was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by Plataea, and a Persian force commanded by Datis and Artaphernes. The battle was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to subjugate Greece. The Greek army decisively defeated the more numerous Persians, marking a turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars. The first Persian invasion was a response to Athenian involvement in the Ionian Revolt, when Athens and Eretria had sent a force to support the cities of Ionia in their attempt to overthrow Persian rule.
Hermes (Greek stamp)
The Greek god Hermes, messenger of the Gods in the Greek mythology, is the representation chosen, in 1860, by the Kingdom of Greece to illustrate its first postal stamps. The first type, the "large Hermes head", was issued in October 1861, and stayed in circulation up to 1886, it was then replaced by the second type, the "small Hermes head". The "large Hermes head" stamps, have been reissued, overprinted, in 1900 and 1901 in order to mitigate the delay of shipment of the stamps of the third type, the "flying Hermes" by the British printer J. P. Segg & C°. In 1902, a fourth type showing Hermes effigy was issued for international "metal payment".