According to the story, in 490 B.C. Pheidippides was sent from the battlefield of Marathon (the namesake of the race) to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. The messenger ran 24.85 miles without stopping and after bursting into the assembly exclaimed ?"Nike?" meaning victory. Soon after, he collapsed and died.

The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events and was held in 1896 in Greece. Spiridon Louis, a Greek postal worker, won the first modern marathon with a time of 2:58:50.

In 1908 the marathon distance was changed to 26.2 miles for the Olympic Games in London. The race was expanded so that racers would finish in front of the royal family's viewing box.

During the 2004 Athens Olympics the original marathon course was used. The finish line for the annual Athens marathon currently rests at the site of a classical stadium. The 2010 Athens Marathon, Oct 31, 2010, will celebrate the 2500the anniversary of the battle of Marathon. Not many events can claim a 2500th anniversary celebration.

Currently more than 800 major marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the majority of participants being recreational athletes.

Note: Nike Inc. takes its name from Nike (Greek Nikn), the Greek goddess of victory.