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An incredible 20,000 runners are expected to hit the roads this weekend for the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon.
The 39th annual event will take place on Sunday and will pay special recognition to female runners with revolutionary figure Constance Markievicz appearing on the finisher’s medal.
The number of female participants has grown mbadively over the years from 70 in 1980 to 7,000 in 2018.
Many international elite distance athletes are set to compete in the this year’s marathon against some of Ireland’s top athletes including Olympians Lizzie Lee, Caitriona Jennings, Mick Clohisey and current national champion Gary O’Hanlon.
(Image: Inpho)
To celebrate this year’s event we look at 26 Interesting facts about the grueling marathon race. Each runner and walker competing in this year’s Dublin City Marathon will have to complete 26.219 miles or 42,195 km.
The first ever Olympic marathon was held in 1886 and had just 17 competitors who ran from Marathin Bridge to Olympic stadium.
The first ever winner of a marathon was a Greek named Spiridon Louis.
The first marathon measured 24.8 miles in 1886 and was increased to 26.2 in 1921. Female athlete Joan Benoit became the first woman to win a marathon in Los Angeles, America in 1984.
The world’s oldest female to complete a marathon was Gladys Burrill aged 92.
(Image: PA)
A Belgium runner named Stefan Engels ran a marathon every day for an entire year in 2011.
The coldest marathon ever ran was from Tomtor to Oymyakon by Boris Fyodorov at an icy minus 38 degrees.
It’s estimated that one in 50,000 people taking part in a marathon
will suffer a heart attack. The first prize in the world famous Boston Marathon is Mercedez Benz and $60,000.
It’s estimated that your average person training for a marathon over a 22 week plan will notch up a staggering 600 miles.
While an elite runner will run an average 100 miles a week in training for the big event.
(Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
A marathon distance of 26.2 is roughly 504 times the size of a standard football field.
A person weighing 150 pounds will burn about 2,600 calories during the course of a marathon.
The world’s most picturesque marathon is said to be in Cape Town,
Africa, and it’s called the Two Ocean’s Marathon.
In 1977 an eight-year-old ran the NYC marathon in an incredible three hours.
The average time of a female marathon runner is just under five hours at 4.59.28.
Many famous celebrities have taken part in marathons including Gordan Ramsey, George Bush, Katie Holmes and Ryan Reynolds.
The Walt Disney Marathon is said to be the most fun run to do with the route taking the participant through Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and the Hollywood Studios.
(Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
The Boston Marathon is the oldest one held annually in the world and dates back to 1897.
There is a marathon held in Wales in which participant’s race against horses.
There is a marathon in France which involves runners consuming wine along the route and has 22 refreshment stands and gourmet food on offer.
The New York Marathon is the largest in the world with roughly 45,000 runners crossing the finish line each year.
Astronaut Sunita Williams ran 26.2 miles while on board an international space station in a very fast four hours and 24 minutes.
The record for the slowest marathon ever ran was by charity fundraiser Lloyd Scott who wore a 110 pound diving suit. It took him five days and eight hours to complete.
One of the toughest marathons in the world is the Jungfrau marathon in Switzerland and involves runners climbing close to 6,000 feet.
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