TheMarathonAlthoughithasrootsinGreeklegend,themarathonisoneofthemostmodernofraces.Thelegendgrewuparoundafamousbattlethattookplacein490B.C.,whenAtheniantroopsdefeatedalargePersianinvasionforceontheplainofMarathon,about25milesfromAthens.AccordingtoHerodotus,theAthenianssentamilitarycouriernamedPhidippides(orPheidippidesorPhilippides)torequesthelpfromSparta.Hecoveredthedistance,about150miles,inlessthantwodays.About600yearslater,thelegendarosethatPhidippideshadbeensenttoAthenstobringnewsofthevictoryatMarathon.Afterreachingthecity,hesaid,"Rejoice,weconquer,"andthendiedoftheexertion--orsothestorywent.Thelegendisalmostcertainlyuntrue,butitwasgenerallybelievedinthelate19thcentury.OnebelieverwasFrenchhistorianandlinguistMicheleBreal.AsplanstookshapeforthefirstmodernOlympicsatAthensin1896,Brealproposedre-enactingPhidippides'legendaryrun.Heevenofferedtoputupasilvertrophyforthewinner.BaronPierredeCoubertin,thefatherofthemodernOlympics,embracedtheideaenthusiastically,asdidtheAthenianorganizers.Soa40-kilometer(24.8-mile)racecalledthemarathonwasthefinal,climacticeventatthe1896Olympics.ThefirsttwomarathonswereactuallytrialstoselectGreekrunnersfortheOlympics.ThefirstwasheldonMarch10,1896,overtheproposedOlympiccoursebetweenMarathonandAthens,andthetopthreefinisherswerechosentorepresentGreece.用心爱心专心GreekofficialsheldasecondtrialjustafewdaysbeforetheOlympicopeningandaddedseveralmorerunnerstotheteam,includingashepherdnamedSpiridonLouis,whofinishedfifthinthattrial.ThefirstOlympicmarathonwasrunonApril10,1896.Greekathleteshadnotdonewellintheeventsleadinguptothisgrandfinale,andthecrowdofabout100,000thatlinedthecourseeagerlyanticipatedavictorybyarunnerfromthehostcountry.Ofthe17runners,13werefromGreece,sotheoddsweregood.Butthefourforeigncompetitorswereallexperienceddistancerunners,thoughatshorterdistances.Theyincludedthethreetopfinishersinthe1500-meterrun,EdwinFlackofAustralia,ArthurBlakeoftheUnitedStates,andAlbinLermusiauxofFrance,alongwithHungary'sGyulaKellner.Morethanhalfwaythroughtherace,thosefourheldthetopfourspots,withLermusiauxinthelead.Thenanuphillstretchtookitstoll.Blakedroppedout;KellnerwaspassedbyoneoftheGreekentrants,CharilaosVasilakos;andLermusiauxcollapsedjustbeforethe20-milemark.Atthatpoint,Flackheldacomfortablelead,buttheGreekshepherd,SpiridonLouis,hadpassedKellnertomoveintosecondplace.AbicyclistpedaledtothestadiumtoannouncethatFlackwouldwin.Flackhadnevercomeclosetorunning25milesbefore,however,andhebegantofalter.Louiscaughtandpassedhimataboutthe21-milemarkand,about21/2milesfurtheron,Flackfellandwascarriedoffthecourse.WithFlackoutoftherace,Greekrunnersheldthefirstthreeplaces,withLouiscomfortablyinthelead.Asecondmessenger,onhorseback,rodetothestadiumanddeliveredthenewstotheroyalbox.WordspreadquicklyandthepredominantlyGreekcrowdbegancelebrating.用心爱心专心WhenLouisenteredAthens,hehadtofighthiswaythroughawelcomingcrowd.CrownPrinceNicholasandPrinceGeorgejoinedhimwhenheenteredthestadium,ranwithhimtothefinishline,andthencarriedhimtotheroyalboxtobecongratulatedbytheking.CharilaosVasilakosfinishedsecond,morethansevenminutesbehindLouis,followedbySpiridonBelokasandKellner.However,Belokaswaseventuallydisqualifiedwhenitwasrevealedthathehadtakenarideinacarriageforpartoftherace,andKellnerwasawardedthirdplace.Becauseofthedramaticfinishandthecrowd'senthusiasm,themarathonbecameapermanentfixtu...
