The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of 42.195 km, usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes, as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
Competitors during the 2007 Berlin Marathon
Competitors during the 2014 Orlen Warsaw Marathon
Aerial view of runners in the Kigali International Peace Marathon in Rwanda, 2019
Participant at the 2016 Boston Marathon
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road. This differs from track and field on a regular track and cross country running over natural terrain.
Road running in a U.S. Air Force marathon
People taking part in the Bristol Half Marathon
Athletes at the start of a 10-mile race in Gloucestershire in England, UK in 1990.
The Dam tot Damloop is a road race from Amsterdam to Zaandam in the Netherlands