How long is the marathon distance? Marathon running is an endurance event, techniques and rules of marathon running. What does it take to run a marathon?

The marathon, a discipline of athletics, is a race over a distance of 42 km 195 meters (26 miles 385 yards). The largest and most respected competitions are held on the road, but marathon starts on rough terrain and in extreme conditions are also known.
Road Marathon - olympic discipline athletics program for men since 1896, for women since 1984.
Half marathon distance, half marathon - 21 km 97.5 m is also a popular distance in road running, where individual races are held and world records are recorded.

Distance.

The length of the run was not initially fixed, since all that mattered was that all athletes ran along the same route. The exact length of the Olympic marathon depended on the route chosen at the respective Games.
The length was chosen quite arbitrarily. At the first Olympic Games it was equal to 40 km. The starting point for the 1908 London Olympics was moved from mile 25 to allow the Royal Family to view the race from Windsor Castle to 26 miles 385 yards (42 km 195 metres). At the next Olympics in 1912, the length was changed to 40.2 km, in 1920 a new change to 42.75 km. In total, at the first seven Olympics there were 6 different marathon distances from 40 to 42.75 km (40 km was used twice).
The final length of 42.195 km was established in 1921 by the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) as the official length of the marathon.
Since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, the men's marathon has been the final event of the program. athletics with the finish on the main Olympic Stadium, often several hours before closing or even as part of the Closing program. Fidelity to this tradition was emphasized in 2004, when the marathon from Marathon to Athens ended at the Panathinaiko Stadium, where the very first Olympic marathon finished in 1896.

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Competition rules

The rules for holding marathons are subject to general rules IAAF for road running. World records and others highest achievements recorded down to the second. The recommended elevation difference on a distance certified by the IAAF should not exceed 1/1000, that is, one meter per kilometer run. The distance must be measured with an accuracy of 0.1% (42 meters).
Marathon races in commercial marathons are usually run using a mass simultaneous start system. However, in fact, it is impossible for all participants to cross the starting line at the same time. Therefore, at AIMS-certified races, the organizers supply participants with special electronic chips that record the time they crossed the start line. For each finisher, not only the fact of finishing is taken into account, but also intermediate results, etc. “gross” and “net” time: from the moment of start and from the moment of crossing the starting line, respectively. The official time is “gross”.

World records

World records were not officially recognized by the IAAF until January 1, 2004; before that, statistics were kept on the “best marathon results.” The marathon distance must comply with IAAF standards in order to best achievement was recognized as a world record. However, marathon routes still differ greatly in profile, altitude and quality of surface, which makes the comparison insufficiently objective. As a rule, marathons that take place on flat terrain, low above sea level, in comfortable weather and with the participation of pacemakers (runners who set the pace of movement) are the fastest.
The world record for men - 2 hours 3 minutes 59 seconds - was set during the Berlin Marathon by Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie on September 28, 2008.
The world's best result among women was shown by Paula Radcliffe from Great Britain at the London Marathon on April 13, 2003 - 2 hours 15 minutes 25 seconds; this time is shown with the help of male pacemakers. The world's fastest time for a woman without a man - 2 hours 17 minutes 42 seconds - was also achieved by Paula Radcliffe at the London Marathon on 17 April 2005.
The marathon places serious demands on the physical condition of participants. In order to achieve high results, the organizers choose best time start and distance profile.
It is believed that the optimal temperature for a marathon is about +12°. Temperatures above +18° are already considered dangerous for some categories of runners, and at temperatures above +28° it is recommended to cancel the start. However, some competitions (for example, the Omsk Christmas Half Marathon) are held at significantly lower air temperatures (down to -39° in 2001).
Most of the world's prestigious marathons are held within large cities that suffer from air pollution problems. It is not advisable to start early in the morning, since it is in the morning that the concentration of smog at the surface of the earth is high and only with an increase in temperature it gradually rises with air currents during the day. The usual start time for commercial marathons in the morning is approximately 8:30-11:00 am.
When conducting marathons in the program of non-commercial competitions, the start time is tied to the general competition grid and the opening and closing ceremonies. In this case, the start can be given in the afternoon.
Famous marathon races
About 800 marathon races are held annually in many countries around the world.
The most popular and prestigious Boston Marathon, New York Marathon, Chicago, London and Berlin are part of the World Marathon Majors series, they host World Cup stages for professional marathon runners. The number of participants at the start reaches 30 thousand or more people. Other famous marathons take place in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Washington, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Rome and Paris.
The world's largest marathon races pay high, by athletics standards, prize money to the winners. So, for example, the general prize fund The Boston Marathon totaled $796,000 in 2008, with $150,000 paid to the winner.
Commercial marathons are open to almost everyone and all you need to do is go through a simple registration procedure. For amateurs, it is considered an honor to simply take part in such a prestigious start, together with leading athletes, joining the world athletics movement.

Marathon is an Olympic discipline in the athletics program.

The classic marathon is a race over a distance of 42 kilometers 195 meters. Marathon running became one of popular types athletics around the world. Nowadays, many marathons are held, both in Russia and abroad. There are the most different types marathon starts from amateur races to world championships with a high prize fund.

A half marathon distance, the half marathon is also a popular distance in road running. World half marathon championships are held and world records are set.

What is a marathon, what is its history, where did the name come from, how was the length of the distance determined?

Marathon history

As the legend of Marathon says, a Greek warrior named Philippides in 490 BC. e. after the battle of Marathon, he fled without stopping from Marathon to Athens to report the victory of the Greeks. Having reached Athens, he managed to shout: “Rejoice, Athenians, we have won!” and fell dead. The legend that he ran from Marathon to Athens first appeared in Plutarch's essay "The Glory of Athens" in the first century AD.

Marathon distance

In 1896 the International Olympic Committee The distance from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens was measured. It was 34.5 km. At the first modern Games in 1896 and at the 2004 Games, marathon runners ran a distance from Marathon to Athens.

Initially, the length of the marathon distance was chosen quite arbitrarily. At the first Olympic Games, marathon runners ran 40 km.

At the 1908 London Olympics, the starting point was moved from mile 25 to 26 miles 385 yards (42 km 195 meters) so that the Royal Family could comfortably watch the runners from the windows of Windsor Castle. At the first seven Olympics there were 6 marathon distances from 40 to 42.75 km.

42.195 km as the official length of the marathon was established in 1921 by the International Amateur Athletics Federation.

Marathon running

The main features of running marathon distances are a constant pace, maintaining a sufficient amount of water and nutrients in the body. There are food stations with water, energy drinks, and food (bananas, dried fruits, etc.) along the marathon course.

Even for experienced athlete running a marathon is hard exercise stress. Competent preparation for the marathon - the most important condition success.

Marathon preparation program

You shouldn't run a marathon while training. Typically, long training at the end of preparation is no more than 35 km.

If you've decided to take it to the next level and run your first marathon, this is a very real challenge. But you need to prepare properly.

How to prepare for a marathon

If you are already an experienced runner who has mastered more short distances 10 km and a half marathon, then based on the already mastered pace of multi-kilometer running, you will need to accustom the body to maintain speed in conditions of depletion of carbohydrates and fluid reserves. Which is usually enough in half, and the result is ensured by the ability to maintain the maximum possible intensity of the load, fully provided by oxygen consumption. (The so-called ANSP or AnP mode).

At the marathon, the speed is several percent lower, but the main obstacle is the background of resource depletion, the so-called wall, after 30-35 km.

Ways to overcome it are to increase the efficiency of the body's work by using long distances of the order of 32-33 km, usually once a week.

And also, special targeted nutrition regimens before and after training.

A qualified trainer will prepare detailed personal training plans for you. Specifically, an honored coach of Russia works with our team, who practically from scratch trained a whole galaxy of world and European ultramarathon champions, Russian champions and champions in half marathon, cross-country and mountain running.

Marathon preparation from scratch for beginners

Above it is said about the preparation of runners with experience for their VT. and the first distance of 42 km 195 m

Well, preparation for a marathon for beginners does not begin with the fact that we immediately begin to prepare for this particular distance. First, you need to master the period of getting into running. Those. learn to run in slow mode just a few kilometers so that the pulse does not go off scale beyond 160 beats per minute.

When this milestone is mastered, you can move on to more fast pace until you feel the strength to compete in 5 or 10 kilometer competitions.

This is simply a commercial exploitation of the hidden reserves of your body.

The fact is that a person without serious illnesses, in most cases, with a strong desire, is able to overcome even a marathon, with minimal preparation, without any coaches!

Another thing is what it will cost. And not so much in terms of the hardships of the distance and poor completion time, but in the long-term consequences for health and further growth of results.

Therefore, aim for a marathon after you show passable results in the 10 and half marathon.

Preparing for a marathon in 6 months

Preparing for a 42km run in 6 months is acceptable for experienced runners who have already mastered half of it. During this time, you can manage to improve general physical training and, on its basis, increase the efficiency of the body’s work due to long training sessions and the actual cruising marathon pace of running, increasing the directly associated running speed in the PANO mode (see above).

Preparing for a marathon in 3

This is exactly the period of one full round of training for those who have already run a marathon and now want to improve their results, or for those who have already shown themselves well in the 10,000m, half marathon and thirty races.

Preparation for the marathon in 1 month

When there is a month left before the marathon, it is good if marathon endurance has already been achieved, and the strength potential of the muscles is not lost in the pursuit of too much training mileage. An experienced trainer will help you balance these 2 contradictory factors.

And if you managed to get into this state 4 weeks before the marathon, then it’s time to carefully work on increasing the pace of PANO (see above) and leave a week and a half for deloading in order to get to the start with a good supply of internal reserves of the body.

Now you are ready.

When is the best time to run a marathon?

To show the highest possible result in the marathon, you need to choose the best start time. The optimal temperature for marathon running is about 14-16 °C. As the temperature rises, the result worsens by about 40-60 seconds per degree.

Types of marathons

Non-profit marathons are included in the program of the Summer Olympics, World Championships, Europe, etc.
Commercial marathons are held annually in the largest cities of the world. Commercial marathons are open to amateur runners.
Extreme marathons - races in the desert, at the North Pole, in the mountains, etc.

Photos of extreme marathons

Ultramarathon (ultramarathon) - a race less than a marathon distance

Daily running - here the distance is not the number of kilometers, but 24 hours. Whoever manages to run the most is the winner.

A multi-day race is a multi-day race, where each next day athletes start in accordance with the gap from the leader on the previous day.

Famous marathons in the world

Every year, about 800 marathon races are held around the world.

The most popular and prestigious marathons in the world:

• Boston Marathon
• Chicago Marathon
• London Marathon
• Tokyo Marathon
• Berlin Marathon

The number of marathon runners at the start exceeds 30 thousand.

The prize money for the 2008 Boston Marathon was $796,000, with $150,000 paid to the winner.

The winners of the Berlin Marathon in 2012 received $500,000.

It is considered an honor simply to take part in such a prestigious start together with the leading runners, joining the world athletics movement.

Main marathons in Russia

About 50 marathons are held in Russia every year. The most famous marathons in Russia:

• Moscow International Peace Marathon
• White Nights Marathon
• Siberian International Marathon

Marathon - interesting facts

On December 31, 2010, Alberta Canadian Martin Parnell, 55, a retired mine engineer, ran marathon distance 250 times a year, covering 10,550 km, wearing out 25 pairs of sneakers, at times in temperatures below minus 30C.

What do marathon runners think about?

About 40% of runners' thoughts were about distance and speed. Pain and discomfort occupied 32% of thoughts. Marathon runners complained about the appearance of calluses and muscle pain. The remaining 28% of thinking is observing your surroundings. The runners talked about nature, weather and other athletes.

- Olympic running discipline. It is a road race over a distance of 42 km 195 meters. Marathons, the distances of which world records are recorded, should not have a height difference of more than 1 meter per kilometer of distance. However, marathons are held in completely different conditions. There are mountain marathons, when athletes cover a distance of 42 km 195 meters, running through the mountains; marathons are held in mines, in the Arctic, in deserts, etc.

1. World records in marathon running

The world record for running the marathon among men belongs to Kenyan athlete Dennis Kimetto, who covered 42 km 195 meters in 2 hours 2 minutes 57 seconds in 2014.

The world record in the women's marathon belongs to British athlete Paula Radcliffe, who completed the distance in 2 hours 15 minutes 25 seconds. This record has stood since 2003. In order to understand how outstanding this achievement is, it is worth saying that the closest result to the world record for women shown over the past 12 years is the result of Kenyan runner Mary Keitany, who ran the marathon in 2012 slower than Paula by 3 minutes 12 seconds .

2. Rank standards for marathon running among men

2. Rank standards for marathon running among women

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MARATHON: TESTING YOUR ENDURANCE

Marathon is a sports discipline from the category of athletics. Simply put, this is a race over a distance of 42.195 kilometers. Today, the noun “marathon” has become a common noun; it is often used to describe any long runs that take place on rough terrain or in difficult conditions, including extreme ones.

Marathon history

Today, hundreds of thousands of people run marathons. Where the name “marathon running” came from is not known for certain. But there is a legend about the Greek warrior Philippides, who covered the distance from the Marathon Plain to Athens to inform the Athenians of the victory over the Persian troops. He had to run 23 miles, but, having announced the good news to the elders, the messenger fell dead. This event dates back to 490 BC. However, this race did not impress sports fans, so the program of the Olympic Games held in Ancient Greece, marathon running was not included. This is not surprising, since the hot climate and difficult terrain created additional difficulties for the athletes.

The history of marathon running began in Athens in 1869 - simultaneously with the revival of the Olympic Games. Marathon distance is the longest running distance, which is included in the programs of the largest sports competitions international format: world and European championships, Olympic Games.

Marathon like olympic event sports

The program of the first Olympic Games, held in Greece (1896), included a marathon. Since then, this marathon running has been a mandatory discipline at any Olympics. Over the history of the Olympic Games, the distance has changed several times. At the first games, the length of the marathon distance was forty kilometers. Victory in this race was fundamental for the Greeks, so they tried to do everything possible (and impossible) to get it. The winner of the first marathon was an athlete from Greece, Louis. He covered a distance of forty kilometers in 2:58:50 and immediately became a hero of the nation. True, the first triumphant marathon was the last for Louis, because after the Olympics he no longer participated in such races.

However, it was Louis’ record that spurred interest in this type of competition. The popularity of marathon running in America and Europe has grown rapidly. The duration of the distance increased several times. A constant distance of 42.195 km was introduced in 1924.

How to run a marathon olympic sport took on a deeper meaning. It was a test of endurance, a fight against one’s own body. The main disadvantage for runners was wearing thick equipment to keep the body warm. After decades of experimentation, runners long distances began to go to the start line in light clothing.

The organization often failed. IN olympic marathon In 1900, only eight athletes reached the finish line. At the next Olympic Games there were many scandals surrounding the marathon race. However, difficulties did not become an obstacle to the marathon and new records.

Marathon records

For almost twenty years, the Olympians failed to break the record set by the Australian Clayton at the Olympic Games in Antwerp (1969). He covered a distance of 42 kilometers in 2:08:33.

At the games in Beijing Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru improved this result by two seconds, setting new record 2:06:32. The athlete admitted that this result is the limit of his physical capabilities.

Today, the best world achievement is considered to be the record of Haile Gebrselassie, who completed the marathon distance in Berlin in 2008 in 2:03:59.

But records are meant to be broken. It is likely that marathon runners will be able to overcome the time limit of 2 hours with tremendous effort.

Text: Bogdan Zorin

As everyone knows, running distances are logically divided into short, medium and long. The discipline of ultra-long distance running stands a little apart.

Short distance sprint races do not exceed 400 meters. In medium distance running up to 3,000 meters, may include a variety of disciplines, including steeplechase. Engaging exclusively in short-distance sprinting is the lot of Olympic professionals due to its specificity.

Long distance running

We are interested in long-distance running, which, according to generally accepted opinion, begins after 3 km, or rather, 2 miles = 3,218 meters. However, we all love marathons to category long distance running are not officially included because they are not held at the stadium, but in the open air. Therefore, the classic marathon distance 42 km 195 m It's simply called a "marathon".

Popular long-distance running disciplines included in the programs of the Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships are 5 000 And 10,000 meters. Please note that running distances for which competitions are held inside the stadium are usually measured in meters. At the same time, such outdoor races are measured in kilometers.

When the conversation turns to starting running, what we mean is distance running. Up to participation in amateur marathons. It is thanks to him that we radically change our lifestyle and with our feet we create excellent conditions for the healing of the whole body. Long distance running is of interest to anyone who struggles with... overweight, stress or strengthens your cardiovascular system and immunity. Sometimes it is simply called - long run.

Marathon. History, distance and rules

The meaning of the word “marathon” comes from the name of the Greek city of Marathon in Attica and is associated with the legend of a Greek warrior who ran to Athens with news of victory. However, according to historians who dug up documentary sources, this was not entirely true and not quite there.

But this did not stop us from including the marathon as a discipline in Olympic Games and hold the first official race along the Marathon-Athens route in 1896. True, this distance fits into 34.5 km. In general, the distance of the first marathons varied quite a lot, both downward and upward. And only in the 1920s did it settle down and was officially accepted as 42.195 km.

Modern rules dictate that the marathon is held on asphalt roads. But there are a huge variety of cross-country races, sometimes with quite difficult terrain and in extreme conditions, also called marathons. Even though the distance may differ greatly from the generally accepted one.

Half marathon

There is another one of the most popular distances - half marathon. Accordingly, this 21 km 97.5 m. The half marathon is one of the milestones in the training of amateur runners, who just a few months ago could not run even a kilometer.

At almost any running competition, half marathons are also held in parallel with the marathon for those who full distance It's still hard to run. Among runners, a half marathon is simply called half.

Ironman triathlon running

The marathon is an integral third element of extreme triathlon competitions Ironman. Accordingly, after a 3.8-kilometer swim (sometimes in icy water) and after a 180-kilometer road cycling race, to bear the title “ iron man", you still need to run 42 kilometers. A good result will be if you do it within 12 hours. But for starters, it would be great to even get to the finish line.

Ultramarathon

Special running discipline - ultramarathon. There are no clear restrictions: anything over 42.195 km is an ultramarathon. And although the most frequent competitions are held at distances 50 And 100 km, often ultramarathons are first laid out on the map, and then they look at how many it turned out to be. The duration of such titanic tests can last more than one day, and in the most unsuitable conditions for this.

Almost all ultramarathons are closely related to such a discipline as trailrunning, because most of the routes run over rough terrain.

After the first purposeful and conscious run in your life, it’s hard to resist setting sports goals. And if at least one of them is achieved, then the person can no longer be stopped. And that's great. But if running has an exclusively health-improving purpose, then you shouldn’t once again cross the line of your capabilities and throw yourself headlong into extreme loads.