Running: London salutes 100 years of the Marathon distance

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 - 11:31 PM

Forza Dorando, Forza!

Two runners, one dressed as Dorando Pietri, the other as Johnny Hayes, will set out from Windsor Castle on Thursday (July 24th) to recreate the epic struggle that established the “Marathon distance” of 26 miles 385 yards exactly 100 years ago.

The biggest crowd sporting history seen to that date lined the route from Windsor to the Great Stadium at the White City on July 24th, 1908, to witness a duel in the first London Olympics that made worldwide headlines. On that day the Italian, Dorando Pietri, collapsed five times in the final yards, and finished practically unconscious. He was disqualified and the gold medal awarded to his American rival, Johnny Hayes.

Dressed as Dorando Pietri, John Bryant (author of The Marathon Makers, set against the background of the 1908 Olympics) and Steve Seaton (publisher of Runner’s World, in costume as Johnny Hayes) will leave the gates of Windsor Castle at 11 am. They will be accompanied on the run by Hugh Jones, the only London-born winner of the London Marathon (1982, 2:09:24), and guided around the original 1908 course by Dave Bedford, Race Director of the Flora London Marathon.

The runners will take in a number of the “feeding stations” that still exist along the route. In 1908 these were public houses that supplied Oxo, eau de Cologne, smelling salts and were staffed by nurses. Much of the original course was run on dusty, country roads, but in 2008 the runners will have to cross the M4 and the M25.

The runners will finish (and will be available for photcalls and interviews at approximately 5pm) at what is today the headquarters of BBC Media Centre, Wood Lane W12, where a memorial lists the 1908 Olympic medals table.

Dave Bedford, Director of the Flora London Marathon, said: “This is where the distance of 26 miles 385 yards was first run – here in London, on this day in 1908. London, and the world should be proud to salute this moment, and we are proud that we dedicated the 2008 Flora London Marathon to the centenary.”

John Bryant, author of The Marathon Makers, said: “This is an important, perhaps the most important, moment in the history of the Marathon. The drama and the characters of 100 years ago guaranteed the distance a place in the hearts of runners and spectators everywhere.”

For details of the 1908 Olympic Marathon route please see the link below:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Olympic-Marathon-1908-route


For security reasons, photographers wishing to attend will need to make contact with Natasha Grainger at the London Marathon Press Office and confirm attendance to seek permission for access to the BBC grounds.