Book 28, Question 141
Why is a marathon 26.2 miles long?
Before then, marathons had different lengths.
The distance came from the 1908 Olympic Games in London. The race was set to start at Windsor Castle and finish in front of the royal box in the stadium, and that measured 26 miles and 385 yards. In 1921, that exact distance was made the standard. Today, runners worldwide train for that special number.