<Tr> <Th> World </Th> <Td> Paula Radcliffe 2: 15: 25 (2002) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Olympic </Th> <Td> Tiki Gelana 2: 23: 07 (2012) </Td> </Tr> <P> The marathon is a long - distance race, completed by running, walking, or a run / walk strategy . There are also wheelchair divisions . The marathon has an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles, or 26 miles 385 yards), 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 Athens, who reported the victory . </P> <P> 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 competitors being recreational athletes as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants . </P>

Where does the distance of a marathon come from
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