Why does the marathon distance include 385 yards?
The marathon owes its name to a legend that a Greek messenger ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce a victory and then collapsed. Historians doubt the story, since the earliest accounts say only that a runner named Pheidippides ran between Athens and Sparta before the battle. The modern race was created for the first Olympic Games of 1896, when organisers wanted an event that would recall ancient glory. The distance was not fixed until 1921; at the 1908 London Games the course was extended so that the race could begin at Windsor Castle and finish in front of the royal box, producing the odd length of 26 miles 385 yards. The figure became standard thirteen years later.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. The 1908 course was lengthened to start at Windsor Castle and end before the royal box
- Step 1: The 1908 course arrangement produced the odd length.
Answer
The 1908 course was lengthened to start at Windsor Castle and end before the royal box.
Why not the others: The 1896 length, the Marathon-Athens distance and a 1921 Greek decision are not the explanation.
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