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.
Bruce Kidd, is a Canadian academic, author, and athlete.
Sabrina Mockenhaupt is a German long-distance runner who specialises in track events and the marathon. She is a two-time winner of the Cologne Marathon and has also won the Frankfurt Marathon and the Berlin Half Marathon. She represented Germany at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics and was the 3000 metres bronze medallist at the 2005 European Indoor Championships. She has a marathon best of 2:26:21, set at the 2010 Berlin Marathon.
Abdihakem "Abdi" Abdirahman is an American long-distance runner. He is a five-time Olympian competing for the United States in the 10,000 meters and the marathon.
Colleen S. De Reuck is a long-distance runner from South Africa, who became an American citizen on 11 December 2000. She has had a long-lasting career, running in her forties, and made a total of four appearances at the Summer Olympics.
Jennifer Rhines is an American long-distance runner who competes in track, cross country and road running events. She has competed in three different Summer Olympics and made 15 US Teams.
Eric Gillis is a Canadian athlete. He was born and raised in the community of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He resides in Guelph, Ontario as the head coach of the St. Francis Xavier University cross country and track teams.
Izumi Maki was a Japanese long-distance runner who competed in the marathon. She represented her native country twice at the Summer Olympics: in 1992 and 1996. She competed for the Wacoal corporate team during her career.
Eamonn Thomas Martin is an English former elite long distance runner.
Ayele Seteng is an Ethiopian-born Israeli long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon.
Daniele Meucci is an Italian athlete who specialises in long-distance running, including track running, cross country and road running who won twenty medals at international level.
Dylan Wykes is a Canadian long-distance runner. He represented Canada in the marathon at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, Germany as well as the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England. In April 2012, Wykes ran the Rotterdam Marathon in a time of 2:10:47 and qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics. With this mark, he is currently the third fastest Canadian marathoner of all time.
Elena Fidatov, sometimes known as Elena Fidatof, is a former Romanian middle- and long-distance runner who competed in track, road, and cross country running competitions. In a period spanning 1984 to 2002, she competed at IAAF World Cross Country Championships on thirteen occasions, making her one of the most frequent participants at the event. She is a two-time Olympian for Romania, having represented her country at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
Bat-Ochiryn "Ziggy" Ser-Od is a Mongolian long-distance runner, particularly the marathon. He represented his country in the marathon at five Summer Olympics, in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021. A member of the Morpeth Harriers running club, he divides his time between his native country and Gateshead in England.
Stephen Mokoka is a South African long-distance runner who competes in races ranging from 3000 metres to the 50 km distance. He formerly held the 50 km world record. He is a four-time medalist at the Universiade and has represented South Africa internationally in road, cross country, and track events. He represented South Africa in the marathon at the 2012 London Olympics.
Jared Mark Deacon is a male British former sprint athlete who specialised in the 400 metres. He was born in South Shields and competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Abraham Kiprotich is a Kenyan-French long-distance runner. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed in the Men's marathon but did not finish.
Jorge Torres is an American long-distance and cross-country runner. He is a three-time runner-up at the U.S. Cross-Country Championships, a 2002 NCAA Cross Country Champion, and a 2006 U.S. Outdoor Champion for the 10,000 meters.
Abraham Niyonkuru is a Burundian track and field athlete who specialises in the marathon, the 10,000 metres and cross country running. Niyonkuru competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the Olympics, he competed in the marathon. Niyonkuru has also competed in a World Junior Championships, two World Cross Country Championships, a Jeux de la Francophonie, a World Military Track and Field Championships and an Auray-Vannes Half Marathon.
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