The Marathon Distance Was Standardized Because of Britain's Royal Family
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Why was the marathon distance standardized at 42.195 km (26.219 miles)?
Why is a marathon 26.2 miles (42.195 km)? It's not a round number, and the reason involves Britain's royal family. At the 1908 London Olympics, the marathon start was moved to Windsor Castle so the royal children could watch from their nursery window, and the finish was moved to be in front of the royal box — creating the now-standard 26.2-mile distance.
Before 1908, marathon distances varied widely — the original Olympic marathon in 1896 was approximately 24.85 miles. The 26.2-mile distance was officially standardized by the IAAF in 1921. Today, over 1.1 million runners complete marathon races around the world each year.
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