marathon

Everyday

1. A running race of about 42 kilometres (26.2 miles). tree →
2. Any very long activity or event that needs lots of energy: a homework marathon. tree →
3. (adjective) Very long: a marathon meeting. tree →
4. Marathon is also a town in Greece, famous for an ancient battle and a legendary bull. tree →

In the lessons

In PE and sport, a marathon is the long-distance road race; a half marathon is half that distance. In everyday talk «marathon» means anything that goes on for a long time: «a TV marathon», «a marathon shopping trip». In maths problems the distance may be given: a marathon is 42.195 km. Phrases: run a marathon, half marathon, a marathon session.

Examples

• My aunt ran the London Marathon for charity. tree →
• A marathon is about 42 kilometres long. tree →
• We watched a film marathon all afternoon. tree →
• The meeting turned into a marathon. tree →
• She is training for a half marathon. tree →
• Running a marathon takes months of training. tree →
• Packing for the trip was a real marathon. tree →
• Thousands of runners took part in the marathon. tree →
• He accordingly decided to rid the country of the famous bull of Marathon, which had become a terror to the cultivators of the land. tree →

Note

Countable: marathons. In maths: marathon = 42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards); half marathon is about 21.1 km. Myth note: the name comes from an old Greek story about a runner from Marathon to Athens. Capital M in race names: the Boston Marathon.