Plenty Sport : EZINE 31 Road Running | Page 3

1 ISSUE № 31, JULY 2018 “Take on a Marathon” The marathon is a long-distance race, complet- ed by running, walking, or a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions. The mara- thon has an official distance of 42.195 kilome- tres (26.219 miles; 26 miles 385 yards 0 feet 0 inches), usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Ath- ens, who reported the victory. The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of com- petitors being recreational athletes as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of par- ticipants. World records in the marathon are now ratified by the International Associa- tion of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the international governing body for the sport of athletics. The IAAF world record for men is 2:02:57, set by Dennis Kimetto of Kenya on September 28, 2014, at the Berlin Marathon. In Trin- idad and Tobago one of the top running associations is the Trini- dad and Tobago Road Runners Club which found its niche in the running boom that was spreading around the globe. In T&T a number of running events including ½ marathons are now on the annual calendar see page 3. ALL NATURAL ALL HEALTHY 100% PURE ! Available at: Xtra Foods Massy Stores Tru Valu El Pecos Starlite Pharmacy Movietowne And many more… WE ALSO DELIVER 789-9002 [email protected]