The Battle of Marathon was a battle between Greece and Persia, where Greece ended up winning, or rather, Athenians, without the help of many others, most notably, Sparta. It is however, also notable because Pheidippides ran around 40 to 42 kilometers after the battle, to Athens, to deliver the news of the Greek victory, upon which he collapsed and died.

Today, this is commemorated by multiple marathon races, every major city in the world having at least one. Held annually, most marathon races are spectacles to be seen, where records may or may not be broken. The London Marathon is such a race. The people love it, the racers love it and the bookmakers love it. Yes, betting on the marathon races is a thing. If you would like to know more about marathon betting in general, you should check out this London Marathon betting 2020 guide.

The London Marathon, contrary to popular belief or misinformation, is not a very old race. Here is what you need to know about the London Marathon.

Born in Recent History – A Child of Two Athletes

It should be expected that athletes would bring a race to life, rather than businesses or companies. The London Marathon was brought to life by two athletes, Chris Brasher and John Disley. Disley was an athlete who competed in the 3000 meter steeplechase races, while Brasher was an Olympic champion and later, journalist. The Marathon came to be in 1981.

The London Marathon Today

Today, the Marathon is organized by Hugh Brasher, son of Chris, and Nick Bitel. It has had many successful races, all usually held in April. Today it is called the Virgin Money London Marathon, because of the sponsor, but it frequently had various prefixes due to various sponsors.

It has three different starters, Elite Women are first, Wheelchair Men and Women are next, and then Elite Men start. All of that is followed by the Mass Race. The course is 42.195 kilometers long and is mostly flat, going around the River Thames. It is publicly available in miles but competitors can view their race statistics in kilometers. Every year, it brings people together and some of those people manage to break a record or two.

The London Marathon is one of the major marathons which you should visit if you are a fan of long-distance running.