The Marathon event of the 1908 Olympic Games was run from Windsor to London. The Marathon course had previously been 25 miles long. For the 1908 race the previously agreed starting line was moved to the Home Park at Windsor to allow the Royal Family to view the start; the finishing line was not changed. The resulting distance - 26 miles, 385 yards - has been the standard marathon distance ever since. So for the marathoners who wonder why they have to run that extra mile and 385 yards, they can thank King Edward for that. What's that old saying, royalty has its privileges!
Only goes to prove that traditions are indispensable, even if such an arbitrary thing as 26 miles and 385 yards.
ReplyDeleteMy, can you imagine if HM the Queen asked for the distance of the marathon to be changed for the 2012 Olympic Games? What would the IOC say? Still, I suppose they might be fairly generous (after all, The Princess Royal, as the Head of State's daughter, wasn't subjected to drugs tests in 1976, if memory serves). It's one of the nicer oddities about the Olympics, and useful for the odd pub quiz. Ta muchly.
ReplyDeleteIt would only be rational for the London 2012 Olympics to have the marathon go from Windsor Castle to London again. It's a no brainer. Hopefully our Grand Old Duke will be in good form to watch the start from his bedroom window.
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