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Top 25 Marathons Road Races

1. Boston Marathon

2. New York Marathon

3. Honolulu Marathon

4. Chicago Marathon         

5. Walt Disney World Marathon

6. Rock n' Roll Marathon

7. San Diego Marathon

8. Maui Marathon

9. Marine Corps Marathon

10. Grandma's Marathon

11. St. George Marathon

12. Houston Marathon

13. Mardi Gras Marathon

14. Napa Valley Marathon

15. Vermont City Marathon

16. National Capital Marathon

17. Philadelphia Marathon

18. Portland Marathon

19. Reggae Marathon

20. Seattle Marathon

21. Twin Cities Marathon

22. San Francisco Marathon

23. Myrtle Beach Marathon

24. Grandfather Mountain Marathon

25. Las Vegas International Marathon

The marathon is a long-distance foot race with an official distance of 26 miles 385 yards that is usually run as a road race. The event is named after the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens. The historical accuracy of this legend is in doubt, contradicted by accounts given by Herodotus, in particular.

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 contested throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes. Larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.