The name Marathon comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. The legend states that he was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon (in which he had just fought)It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the assembly, exclaiming "νενικηκαμεν' (nenikekamen)", ("We wοn"), before collapsing and dying. The distance from Marathon to Athens was 26.2 miles. Therefore, races that are 26.2 miles are named Marathons. However, on that famous run there was passed a small town at about the halfway point named Pikermi. This distance is 13.1 Miles and what previously had been referred to as *half *marathons can be referred to as a Pikermi.
13.1 Miles Should Not Be Considered "Only Half" Of Anything! After all, they don't have a 10k and a half 10k.... No they have a 5k