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Adult runners following a marked road course during a marathon.
Sports

Have marathons always been 42.195 kilometres long?

Published

Verdict
False
Verification confidenceHigh

Explanation

No. Early marathons did not share today's fixed distance. The Olympic Museum documents a 40-kilometre course for Athens 1896 and other distances in subsequent editions.

London 1908 used 42.195 kilometres, but that did not immediately establish a permanent standard: Stockholm 1912 used 40.2 kilometres. The official standard was adopted in 1921.

Individual events then adjusted their courses. The Boston Athletic Association records that Boston began with a 24.5-mile course and lengthened it in 1924 to match the Olympic standard. Today's familiar distance should not be projected onto every early marathon.

Key takeaway

The marathon distance was standardized in 1921. Earlier races could be shorter or longer than today's 42.195 kilometres.

Evidence

Early Olympic marathon distances varied

The Olympic Museum

Contradicts the claim

The museum documents 40 kilometres for Athens 1896, 42.195 kilometres for London 1908 and 40.2 kilometres for Stockholm 1912.

Based on: The Olympic Museum

The standard was adopted in 1921

The Olympic Museum

Provides context

The museum dates the official adoption of the 42.195-kilometre standard to 1921.

Based on: The Olympic Museum

Boston lengthened its original course

Boston Athletic Association

Contradicts the claim

The organizer records an original 24.5-mile course and its extension to 26 miles, 385 yards in 1924.

Based on: Boston Athletic Association

Sources

The Olympic Museum

Exactly 42.195 kilometres?

Boston Athletic Association

History

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