Why is a marathon exactly 26.2 miles?

A marathon is 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 kilometers) because that was the length of the marathon course at the 1908 London Olympics, and the governing body of athletics later adopted it as the standard. The course ran from Windsor Castle to the royal box in the Olympic stadium. The distance has no connection to the ancient legend that inspired the race. [1] [2]

The modern race commemorates the story of a messenger said to have run from Marathon to Athens to announce a Greek victory over the Persians in 490 BC. The ancient Olympics never included such a long race. According to National Geographic, the French scholar Michel Bréal proposed a footrace from Marathon to Athens for the first modern Games, writing that it would have an antique flavor. The 1896 race covered about 40 kilometers, roughly 25 miles, and was won by the Greek runner Spyridon Louis. [3] [4] [5]

Early distances were not fixed. Paris in 1900 was just over 25 miles, and St. Louis in 1904 returned to about 24.85 miles. The New York Times describes race directors as designing courses by feel rather than by a precise recipe. [6]

Accounts agree that the 1908 race started at Windsor Castle and finished in front of the royal box at the stadium. Many sources say the length was set to suit the British royal family. History.com reports that Queen Alexandra reportedly asked for the start on the Windsor lawn, and some accounts say this was so the royal children could watch from the nursery window. World Athletics gives a version in which the start was pulled back so the children in the nursery could see it, adding 385 yards to 26 miles. David Miller's official history of the Olympics also gives the nursery as the reason. [4] [1]

Other experts reject the nursery story. Bob Wilcox of the International Society of Olympic Historians calls it a myth. He says nothing has been found in the royal archives to support it, and that Princess Mary starting the race was a spur-of-the-moment decision that did not change the distance. The New York Times likewise says the exact reasons are in dispute. The 1908 official report describes the course and its 385 yards on the track, but the Boston.com article quoting it does not use it to settle why the course had that length. [1] [6]

After 1908 the distance kept varying. The BBC notes that the 1920 Antwerp Olympics had the longest course at 42.75 kilometers. In May 1921 the International Amateur Athletic Federation, now World Athletics, settled on the 1908 distance, probably because it was based in London at the time, according to the BBC. Historians David Martin and Roger Gynn write that the rationale for the choice was not discussed. The 1908 race was also famous for Dorando Pietri collapsing near the finish and being disqualified after officials helped him, which may help explain why it was chosen. [2] [1]