Marathon
Marathon can refer to any of the following:
- Mercedes Marathon an annual running event headlined by a marathon race
- Vulcan Run, an annual running event which formerly included a marathon race
- Marathon Oil, a Houston, Texas based petroleum company with distribution facilities and gas stations in the Birmingham area
- Marathon Equipment Co., a manufacturer founded by Tom Jernigan
- Marathon Corporation, an investment firm founded by Tom Jernigan
- Marathon Electrical Contractors, a commercial contractor founded in 1987
- Marathon (band), a former rock band
Etymology
The word Marathon derives from the Greek "Μαραθών" ("Marathṓn", meaning "fennel field"), which was n Attic plain on which a notable Athenian victory over the Persian army took place in 490 B.C. In Herodotus' account, Pheidippides ran from Athens to Sparta to request military aid. In later stories, a soldier given various names ran from the battlefield back to Athens to report the victory. The legends were recast in a celebrated work by the English poet Robert Browning in 1879. The word "marathon" was first used to describe a long-distance running race organized as part of the 1896 Olympic Games. The 26.2-mile distance was chosen to represent the legendary feat. The word has since been used to highlight the lengthiness of any event or exertion.
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