The origin of the marathon reveals to us that this sporting event is inspired by a historical fact. A Greek messenger Phidippides is said to have run the distance of about 40 km to Athens to announce the victory of the Greeks against the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. History tells us that this breathless messenger died immediately after having transmitted his message.
From the start, the history of the marathon was created on the occasion of the Olympic Games in 1896 on the initiative of the French Michel Bréal, to commemorate the legend of the Greek messenger Phidippides. The distance from Marathon to Athens is about 40 km, it was after 1921 that the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) fixed the distance for running, which takes place on the road at 42,195 km.
Today, the most prestigious running races take place, for the Summer Olympic Games (quadrennials) – the World Athletics Championships (biennials) – as well as the World Major Marathons ( annual): Tokyo (end of February) – Boston (mid-April) – London (end of April) – Berlin (end of September) – Chicago (mid-October) and New York (beginning of November)
The origin of the marathon reveals to us that this sporting event is inspired by a historical fact. A Greek messenger Phidippides is said to have run the distance of about 40 km to Athens to announce the victory of the Greeks against the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. History tells us that this breathless messenger died immediately after having transmitted his message.
From the start, the history of the marathon was created on the occasion of the Olympic Games in 1896 on the initiative of the French Michel Bréal, to commemorate the legend of the Greek messenger Phidippides. The distance from Marathon to Athens is about 40 km, it was after 1921 that the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) fixed the distance for running, which takes place on the road at 42,195 km.
Today, the most prestigious running races take place, for the Summer Olympic Games (quadrennials) – the World Athletics Championships (biennials) – as well as the World Major Marathons ( annual): Tokyo (end of February) – Boston (mid-April) – London (end of April) – Berlin (end of September) – Chicago (mid-October) and New York (beginning of November)
The 50th New York Marathon, a historic moment to celebrate!
The New York Marathon is one of the Abbott 6 Majors marathon in the world. The first race was created in 1970, the 127 competitors at the time are pioneers, they run the distance around Central Park, in front of a weak audience, to see Gary Muhrcke cross the finish line in 2h31mn38s.
In 1976, the co-founder of the race Fred Lebow redraws the course, to cope with the growing number of participants. The course crosses New York five boroughs, making this race so successful that the following year the registrations increased tenfold. We will not remember the cheating of the American-Cuban athlete Rosie-Ruiz, to obtain a time below 3 hours, but more the release in 1976 of the film Marathon Man with Dustin Hoffman, who plays the role of a student training in Central Park to run the New York marathon. The success of this film offered a beautiful showcase for this event. Sports performances have also left their mark. Norway’s Grete Waitz broke the world distance record that year, crossing the finish line in 2h32mn30s, an event she won nine times in eleven participations.
Glamour Fashion and Beauty wanted to celebrate this 50th anniversary with you, by paying a special tribute to an athlete who does not run for glory, or time : Flo, one of the magazine’s icon and follower of marathons, takes us into the magnificent universe of this event. Participation in a marathon requires rigor, discipline, and willpower. Through the remarkable Flo’s marathon participation we are not only showing the sporting aspect but also the struggle of a woman who defends human values in her daily life. At the heart of the race, it will make us live from the inside, unforgettable moments.
All this to say that the New York marathon is an incredible story, and that it arouses a very particular craze. From top athletes, to occasional runners, everyone has the same desire to cross this fateful line of 42,195 km, a source of so much effort and sacrifice to achieve this goal.
The marathon is used to surpass oneself in difficult moments of life, to meet beautiful people, and also to bound with other runners, this proves that beyond sports performance, the spirit of the marathon brings other virtues.
There is a very strong connection between the marathon, and the story of some women like Kathrine Switzer, who have found the resources to defend certain human values.
Due to Covid-19, the New York marathon has been postponed to the year 2021.
