Girls guide to marathons

Origins of marathon running

The marathon race has been part of the modern Olympics since the 1896 games in Athens. The event is said to have been inspired by the legend of the greek messenger Pheidippides, who ran 25 miles from a battlefield near the town of Marathon to Athens, bringing news of victory over the Persians.

The race distance was changed to 26 miles and 385 yards in the 1908 London Olympics, when the course was altered so that the finish line would be directly in front of the Royal box in the stadium. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) later adopted 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195 km) as the official marathon distance.

Marathon training

Training for a marathon cannot be done quickly. Many weeks of preparation are required to get used to running for long periods of time and to learn what works best for you. Detailed training plans for all abilities can be obtained from running books and magzines, or can be downloaded from the Runner's World website.

There are many different approaches to training but most programs agree on one aspect- the importance of the long run. Training usually incorporates a few shorter runs and one long run each week, with the distance slowy increasing until a few weeks before the date of the marathon when runners begin to drop their distance to allow their body to recover and prepare. This is called 'tapering'.

Running 26 miles also requires adequate nutrition and hydration to supply enough energy and fluid to support your body. Runners try to get more of their calories from carbohydrates in the time leading up to a race ('carb-loading') in an effort to store more glycogen in their muscles which will provide an energy reserve after initial stores have been depleted.

An average runner will lose up to 1 litre of fluid for every hour in a marathon so drinking water is essential. But runners need to be careful not to over do it. Over-filling with water when you are severely dehydrated can lead to a serious medical condition called 'hyponatraemia' where the balance of essential electrolytes and minerals in the body becomes diluted, leading to confusion, dizziness, swelling, and collapse. As a precaution long-distance runners are recommended to drink small amounts more often, rather than downing large quantities, and to replace electrolytes by snacking on salty foods or using a sports drink containing sodium and potassium.

Popular Marathons

London

Often topping lists as the most popular and charity-friendly, the London Marathon has come a long way since it was started by two friends, Chris Brasher and John Disley, in 1981. In that first race there were just over 7,000 competitors, only 300 of whom were women. Now there are over 46,000 runners each year, with many more applying for a place through the ballot system.

Boston

The Boston Marathon is the oldest of the big marathons, held every year since 1897. The Boston Athletics Association are said to have been inspired by the event at the 1896 Olympics in Athens. Boston is also one of the most revered events by runners, as you have to pass a strict qualifying time to get a place.

New York City

The huge, mass-participation races which happen around the globe arguably would not exist without the New York City Marathon, the first race that was seen as accessible to 'ordinary' mortals as well as international athletes. The race around the big apple still attracts a diverse field and also has one of the world's leading wheelchair and handcycle races.

Berlin

This marathon is known for it's very flat course, which often leads to new records (see Gabrselassie in 2008) or enables runners to achieve their personal bests. The route also takes in many of the city's historical and political sights, leading to the Berlin Marathon being described as a 'running history class'.

Famous Marathon Runners

Abebe Bikila

This Ethiopian is considered by many to be the greatest marathon runner ever. He became the first African to win an Olympic gold medal when in 1960 he won the marathon, whilst running barefoot. He repeated his success at the 1964 Olympics, this time wearing shoes. A stadium was named after Bikila in Addis Ababa.

Haile Gebrselassie

A fellow Ethiopian, Gebrselassie is currently the fastest marathon runner in the world, with a time of 2:03:59 recorded at the Berlin Marathon 2008.

Paula Radcliffe

At the 2002 London Marathon Radcliffe set a new women's world record for the marathon, winning in 2:18:56. She was later named Sports Personality of the Year. In 2003 she beat her own world record to win the London Marathon again in 2:15:25.

Ron Hill

Hill is the only Briton to have won the Boston Marathon and he also won gold in the marathon in European and Commonwealth games during the 1970s. He is the founder of the popular Ronhill and Hilly clothing companies, and is famous for never missing a day without running.

Joyce Smith

An inspiration for female athletes and fun-runners, Smith was the first winner of the women's race in the London Marathon. When she won in 1981 she was a 44 year old mother of two children, and she went on to win the second race the following year.

Rosie Ruiz

Ruiz became a household name in America when after being declared winner of the Boston Marathon in 1980 she was stripped of the title amid allegations of cheating. Spectators claimed to witness her running into the race from the crowd in the last part of the race.

Fauja Singh

A Sikh runner from India, Singh completed the London Marathon in 2004 at the grand age of 93. His final time in London was 6:07:13 and Singh also holds the world record for a marathon in the over ninety age group at 5 hours and 40 minutes. It is not known how many other runners have competed in this age group.