A common view is that a runner called Pheidippedes ran the 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to tell of the Athenian victory over the Persians, however he was already dead – he had been sent to Sparta to summon the Spartan army to the battle – a much longer run and he came back hallucinating and died.
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After the Spartans defeated the Persian infantry at Marathon, they realised that the Persian cavalry had embarked on their ships and was being rowed around to attack Athens – traitors would open the city gates, and the cavalry would gallop up and take the city with the Athenian army still at Marathon. The 9,000 Athenian infantry set out back, running the 26 miles wearing sandals and carrying their weapons and armour, and got back just in time to form up in front of the city. The Persians, frustrated, went home.
Today’s race commemorats this mass run. Today’s athletes get it pretty easy without the weaponry and sandals.
