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Marathon racers on .

Marathon racers on Danula II.

A marathon is an athletic competition, a long-distance race traditionally run for a distance of 26.2 miles or 42-kilometers, the journey a legendary messenger undertook from Marathon to Athens, Greece in 490 B.C. on Earth.

Colloquially the term also applies to less arduous, but similarly long challenges such as watching a movie marathon, undertaking a lengthy voyage, or working non-stop for an extended period.

History and specifics

Having evolved from chasing hunters, Humans gained a high stamina, allowing them to survive difficult endurance challenges such as a marathon. (Last Unicorn RPG module: TOS Core Game Book)

Marathons have been hosted on planets as diverse as Atalia VII, Beta VI, Cestus III, Corinth VII, Luna, Mars, Qo'noS, Risa, Regulus II, and Romulus. (ST - New Worlds, New Civilizations short story: "The Footfalls of Tradition")

The Academy Marathon was typically hosted on Danula II. (TNG episode: "The Best of Both Worlds", ST - New Worlds, New Civilizations short story: "The Footfalls of Tradition")

An unusual marathon was held by Zaldans underwater. (Last Unicorn RPG module: Star Trek: The Next Generation Players' Guide)

The USS Marathon was named for the competition or the Greek locale. (FASA RPG module: Federation Ship Recognition Manual, TOS novel: The Empty Chair)

Ultramarathons were even longer endurance tests. A 100-miler was held in Colorado at high altitudes. (TOS - SA novel: The Gemini Agent)

In 2270, Dr. Leonard McCoy described Spock as suffering physical exhaustion, as if he'd run more than two back-to-back marathons on Vulcan. (TOS novel: The Entropy Effect)

In 2271, Pavel Chekov half-ran, half walked 27 kilometers in Maryland, disappointed that he'd only run half the distance and not even traveled the length of a marathon. (TOS - The Lost Years novel: Traitor Winds)

Kelvin timeline

In May 2255, Pavel Chekov did his marathon training barefoot, aiming to set a record as the youngest Academy Marathon winner. He did his interval training through trails in Golden Gate Park. (TOS - SA novel: The Gemini Agent)

Cadet Monica Lynne described Starfleet Academy's arduous Desert Survival Course run to James T. Kirk as a marathon, not a sprint. (TOS - SA novel: The Edge)

Particulars

Marathon events

Marathon runners

Appendices

Background

Strange New Worlds contest winner Elizabeth A. Dunham has run at least 12 marathons, whereas winner Sarah A. Seaborne preferred to walk them. (About the Contributors, Strange New Worlds VI and Strange New Worlds VIII)

References

External links