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.
Elvan Abeylegesse, is an Ethiopian-born Turkish middle and long-distance running athlete who competes over distances from 1500 metres up to the marathon, and also in cross country. She is the former world record-holder for the 5000 metres, at 14:24.68 minutes.
Deena Michelle Kastor is an American long-distance runner. She was a holder of American records in the marathon (2006-2022) and numerous road distances. She won the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. She is also an eight-time national champion in cross country.
Kara Goucher is an American long-distance runner. She was the 10,000 meters silver medalist at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics and represented the USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. She made her marathon debut in 2008 and finished third the following year at the Boston Marathon.
Sally Jepkosgei Kipyego is a Kenyan-born American long- and middle-distance runner. She was the silver medalist in the 10,000 metres at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics and the silver medalist in the same race at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She has a personal record of 30:38.35 minutes for that event and her 5000 metres best of 14:30.42 minutes makes her the second fastest Kenyan woman for the distance.
The Women's Mini Marathon is an annual is an annual 10k event, which takes place every June bank holiday Sunday on the streets of Dublin, Ireland. It is the largest women's event of its kind in the world, and is the largest one-day charity fundraising event in Ireland. The event, which is currently sponsored by Irish insurance company Vhi Healthcare, is celebrating its 40th event in 2022.
Helalia Lukeiko Johannes, also known as Hilaria Johannes, is a Namibian long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. She holds the Namibian records in the 10 km, 20 km, half marathon and marathon events.
Ana Dulce Ferreira FélixComM is a Portuguese long distance runner who competes in track, cross country, and road running events. She ran the Olympic marathon in 2012 and 2016 and placed 21st and 16th, respectively.
Desiree "Des" Nicole Linden is an American long-distance runner. She represented the United States in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics women's marathon. In 2018, she won the Boston Marathon, becoming the first American in 33 years to win the woman's category in the event. She holds the women's 50K world record of 2:59:54.
Lesotho competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, which was held from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The country's participation at London marked its tenth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its début at the 1972 Summer Olympics. The delegation included three track and field athletes; Tsepo Ramonene, Mosito Lehata and Mamorallo Tjoka, and one swimmer; Masempe Theko. Ramonene and Lehata qualified for the Games by meeting qualification standards, while Tjoka and Theko made the Olympics through wildcard places. Tjoka was selected as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony while Lehata held it at the closing ceremony. Ramonene finished last in the men's marathon and was revived by medical personnel during the event. Lehata did not progress to the semi-finals of the men's 200 metres and Tjoka finished in 90th in the women's marathon. Theko finished 73rd overall in the women's 50 metre freestyle and did not progress to the semi-finals of the event.
Erba Tiki Gelana is an Ethiopian professional long-distance runner who competes in marathon races. Her personal best of 2:18:58 had been the Ethiopian national record for the event from 2012 to 2017. She won the 2011 Amsterdam Marathon and the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon. She won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics with a time of 2:23:07, a new Olympic record.
Épiphanie Nyirabaramé is a Rwandan athlete who specialized in marathon and long-distance running. She represented Rwanda at two Olympic games.
Zemzem Ahmed Deko is an Ethiopian steeplechase runner and road runner. She emerged as one of Ethiopia's top steeplechasers, and had broken her own personal records three times in 2007.
Eva-Maria Gradwohl is a retired Austrian long-distance and marathon runner. She is also four-time Austrian national champion in half-marathon, three-time in marathon, and two-time in 10-km road run. In 2010 Gradwohl retired from her sporting career, after refusing to take a doping test; according to NADA director Andreas Schwab, refusing to undergo a doping test was considered a positive test, and would be an obvious breach of the rules imposed in every sporting competition.
Nina Kathy Rillstone is a New Zealand long-distance and marathon runner. She is a national champion in both middle and long-distance running, and a national record holder for the half-marathon.
Yesenia Centeno Sousa is a Spanish marathon runner. In 2003, she adopted Spanish nationality in order to compete internationally for the marathon. Five years later, she achieved a top-ten finish at the Fortis Rotterdam Marathon, and also, set her personal best time of 2:31:16 by finishing fourth at the Hamburg Marathon.
Monika Mariola Drybulska-Stefanowicz is a Polish marathon runner. She set her personal best time of 2:29:57 at the 2003 Berlin Marathon. Drybulska also competed in the women's marathon at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, but did not finish the race.
Ana Maria Guerreiro Dias is a Portuguese long-distance and marathon runner. She is a four-time Olympian, and a multiple-time national record holder for the long-distance running. She also set a personal best time of 2:28:49, by finishing fourth in the women's race at the 2003 Berlin Marathon.
Valentina Delion is a Moldovan marathon runner. She set a personal best time of 2:36:50, by winning the 2005 Bonn Marathon in Germany.
Kate Harris-Smyth is an Australian marathon runner. She set her personal best time of 2:28:51, by finishing second at the 2008 Nagano Olympic Commemorative Marathon in Japan.
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