How far is that?
Marathon
- 26.2 Miles
- 42.2 Kilometers
Once upon a time, in 490 BC, the Persians invaded Greece, landing near Marathon on Greece’s eastern coast. As Legend has it, Pheidippides, a runner-messenger for the Greeks, was sent from Athens to Sparta to ask for help. He took 2 days to get there (running some 150 miles). After the battle, in which the Greeks prevailed, Pheidippides then ran back to Athens, going south along the coast and across coastal foothills before arriving in Athens, a distance of about 25 miles from Marathon. Upon his arrival in Athens, he supposedly announced ‘Rejoice. We conquer!’ and then fell dead.
Half-Marathon
- 13.1 Miles
- 21.1 Kilometers
Ultra Marathon
Any race longer than a marathon (42.2K). For example, the Comrades Marathon in South Africa is 90 kilometers/53 miles long, and there are some others are much longer than this!
More Common Race Distances
- 10K - (10 Kilometers - 6.2 Miles)
- 8K - (8 Ki lometers - 4.97 Miles)
- 5K - (5 Kilometers - 3.1 Miles)
- 1600 Meters - (1.6 Kilometers - 1 Mile)
- 800 Meters - (.8 Kilometers - ½ Mile)
- 400 Meters - (.4 Kilometers - ¼ Mile)
