• So much disinformation •
[2 MIN READ]
With the start of spring-marathon training season, I came across an article talking about the origins of the marathon, my favorite competitive distance. It ain’t what you think. With none other than the authority of National Geographic, the following article debunks the significance of the ancient Greek athlete Pheidippides, throws Robert Browning under the bus, and elevates a Michel Bréal: Who Invented the Marathon? It’s Not As Ancient As You Think.
For my part, I’m inclined to believe the author of this article, partly because it details the kinds of complexities that get lost in the telling and retelling—think of the telephone game—and because it cites sources. As a past-professional academic librarian, I’m kind of a sucker for both.
There was a Battle of Marathon, according to then-contemporary-historian Herodotus, and a Pheidippides; but the latter was rounding up troops to help beat back the Persians at the former, circa 500 B.C.E. He actually ran 153 miles back and forth over 36 hours. He didn’t die. Less-ancient-historian Plutarch (circa 350 C.E.) speculated that the soldier who did die announcing the ultimate Athenian victory was a Eukles. The mind boggles in wonder over how 850 years of the telephone game might have corrupted those details. Well, he was a historian who would otherwise decline to take liberties for the sake of his profession.
With the formation of the modern Olympics in 1896, Bréal was a member of the founding International Olympic Committee. He suggested a route for an endurance running race that would traverse the 40 kilometers from Marathon to Pnyx because he thought the 24.85-mile race would “have an antique flavor.” The well-known extension of the distance to 26.2 to accommodate the then—1908—King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra is actually correct.
As for Robert Browning? He was a poet. He took dramatic liberties for the sake of his art. And as for the link to my actual source article (which I would normally have provided)? I leave it to you to secure because NG has it behind a subscription firewall and the source I used himself took copyright liberties for the sake of his article. What it took for me to secure it—with an explanation of why I won’t be the one getting sued—is a telephone game to play based off of a different post.
-CtCloser (Calvinthe), “Negative split or positive splat” #dothedue
FINE PRINT ¶Likeness used with permission. ¶Text and photos (unless otherwise stated): Calvin Wang (Wäng), CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. ¶Cross-posted: (1) Facebook JRC Growlers Group Run (2025’01’29’W Run Message), (2) GGR email list, (3) Cerebruns by CtCloser. ¶This website posting: Cerebrun only with added caption.
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