Image via Wikipedia The story behind the bizarre 26.2-mile distance of the modern marathon dates back to the fabled Greek messenger Pheidippides, who ran all the way from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, a total distance of—you guessed it—26.2 miles. After completing these 26.2 miles, Pheidippides collapsed dead from exhaustion. Why millions of people throughout the course of history have decided to follow in the bloody footsteps of a dead man is anybody's guess, but here we are. The marathon gained popularity in the United States after the 1908 Olympics, and has been growing … [Read more...]