A marathon is 26.2 miles or 42k, always. It is never 5k, or 10k or any other distance. The marathon got its name from Pheidippides, who ran from Marathon to Athens to proclaim they had won the battle. The distance was 25 miles and he died at the end, but don't use this as an excuse not to try a marathon, he had already run 300 miles and fought a battle in the two days prior to his "marathon". The extra 1.2 miles was added with the London marathon in the 1908 Olympics to cover the ground from Windsor Castle to White City Stadium, and to finish in front of King Edward VII's royal box.
? ? People are marathoning in record numbers, particularly women. A number of runners use fundraising as their motivation, but the majority of runners still run for the physical and mental challenge. Along with most marathons come half marathons (13.1 miles or 21k) run on the same day but not always at the same time.
Marathons are chosen for a variety of reasons.
Time of Year:
If you like cold weather running, a spring race would suit you better than a fall race, which requires you to train through heat and humidity.
Size:
A large race can have 10 000 runners plus, which makes running a PR or fast race difficult but provides lots of motivation, including spectators. A race with a few hundred participants may give you lots of room to run, but no medal and little race time company.
Location:
If you must travel it can get expensive, even if it is just 2 hours away. With an early morning start you would either have to get up early to get parked and get to the race site or stay overnight with hotel and restaurant costs. Aside from the cost, consider the impact of not sleeping in your own bed or having your own food handy. Also consider your race terrain and weather conditions. If you can't train under similar conditions at home, it is probably not a good race choice. An extended holiday to acclimate yourself at your race location may be required, so think about the potential stress this may add to your vacation time.
When given the opportunity try to support local races, as they provide the pluses of sleeping in your own bed, eating at home and being able to train the terrain. Local races include Peterborough Half in February, Kingston Half in April and the Autumn Classic held in Belleville at the end of September. Coming on October 3, 2004 the PEC Marathon will be held. With a full, a half and a 4 person relay there will be a venue for every runner. This race will start in Wellington and make its way through the county, ending in Picton. As a Boston qualifier with all the comforts of home and the hospitality of the county, it is a must do for all veteran and newbie marathoners. Check out
www.pecmarathon.ca for more information and mark your calendar.
