July 24, 1908 –
You get to decide the length of the Olympic marathon.
When the modern Olympics began in Athens in 1896, a race of 40 kilometers, or 24.85 miles, was held to commemorate the legend of Pheidippides. He’s the guy who ran from Marathon to Athens, cried, “Nike!,” realized he’d forgotten to sign the endorsement contract, then promptly died.
For the 1908 London Olympic marathon, held on this date, the race was extended to 26 miles so that the Princess of Wales (the future Queen Mary, grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II) and her children (King Edward VII’s grandchildren) could watch the start, while Queen Alexandra could see the finish from the Royal Box. The organizers ultimately settled on a course measuring 26 miles and 385 yards, running from Windsor Castle to the royal entrance of the White City Stadium, followed by one lap of the track and finishing directly in front of the Royal Box.
The race had a thrilling conclusion—entering the stadium first was Italy’s Dorando Pietri. But he was exhausted and delirious. He turned the wrong way on the track, reversed course, and stumbled, according to news accounts, five times during the final quarter-mile. By helping Pietri back to his feet, race officials inadvertently cost him the gold medal. But as the official Olympic report explained, “It was impossible to leave him there, for it looked as if he might die in the very presence of the Queen.“
Pietri reached the tape first, collapsed, and was placed on a stretcher. Arriving second was John Hayes of the United States. The Americans protested the assistance given to Pietri, and Hayes was declared the winner.
Though he was disqualified, Pietri became a hero. Queen Alexandra presented him with a silver cup. He inspired an international marathon craze. Irving Berlin even wrote a song about him. Finally, in 1921, the official marathon distance was standardized at 26 miles and 385 yards.
So now you know.
The Haus of Dcaligari 