Talking about marathon (ma la song) in Chinese

Though many have heard of the following story, do you know that "马拉松 (mǎ lā sōng, marathon)" was originally a place in Greece? Do you know a marathon is not simply 42 km but an exact distance of 42.193 km?

虽然，下面这个小故事可能很多人曾有所耳闻，可是你知道马拉松原来是希腊的一个地名吗？你知道原来马拉松不是42公里，而是42.193这么精确的距离吗？

It dates back to 490 BC. The Persians and Athenians were at war near the Marathon Sea in ancient Greece, a conflict known as the Greco-Persian Wars. The Athenians eventually won and a soldier named Pheidippides couldn't wait to take the good news back to the people in his hometown. Since there were no cars, he had no choice but to run like the blazes toward Athens. When he arrived, he was nearly dead from exhaustion. He shouted with his last strength: "Let's celebrate, Athenians, we won!" After that, he collapsed and died. Pheidippides ran a total 42.193 km.

咱们要从公元前490年讲起。当时波斯人和雅典人在古希腊的马拉松海边打仗，也就是传说中的希波战争。最终，雅典人获得了反侵略的胜利，士兵菲迪皮茨迫不及待要把这个好消息告诉家乡人民。可是当时没有车，所以他拼命往回跑，跑到雅典时，他已经精疲力竭，但还是激动地喊道："欢乐吧，雅典人，我们胜利了！"说完就倒在地上，累死了。而菲迪皮茨跑过的路程共计42.193公里。

The first Olympic Games were held in 1896, when the marathon was set as a 42.193 km race in memory of Pheidippides. 

1896年，也就是120年以前，召开了第一届奥林匹克运动会。为了纪念菲迪皮茨，运动会设立了马拉松赛这一项目，并把42.193作为马拉松赛跑的距离。

The World Marathon Majors (马拉松大满贯, mǎ lā sōng dà mǎn guàn) is a circuit of marathon competitions, comprised of Boston Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, New York Marathon, and Tokyo Marathon.

世界马拉松大满贯目前包含波士顿马拉松、伦敦马拉松、柏林马拉松、芝加哥马拉松、纽约马拉松、东京马拉松，是一场巡回赛事。

Once one starts running marathons, finishing the races in the World Marathon Majors will a top pursuit.

一旦跳进"跑马"的大坑，跑大满贯便将成为顶级的追求。

The Boston Marathon (波士顿马拉松, bō shì dùn mǎ lā sōng) is the first city marathon recorded. It's famous because of its strict enrollment requirements, known as BQ, or Boston Qualify. The Boston Marathon is usually held on the third Monday in April.

波士顿马拉松，是历史第一城市马拉松，因其严苛的BQ而著名，列满贯赛事之首。通常在4月的第3个星期一举行。

The Tokyo Marathon (东京马拉松, dōng jīng mǎ lā sōng) is the only World Marathon Major held in Asia, which is usually held on the third Sunday in February.

东京马拉松，是亚洲唯一大满贯赛事。时间一般在2月的第3个星期日。

The London Marathon (伦敦马拉松, lún dūn mǎ lā sōng) is the hardest to sign up for among the six majors, with only one runner in six chosen from among the applicants. It's usually held in late April.

伦敦马拉松，是最难报名的马拉松，以六分之一的概率名列大满贯之最。一般在4月下旬举行。 

The Berlin Marathon (柏林马拉松, bó lín mǎ lā sōng) is known for its flat racing track and extremely comfortable temperatures, which are benefits for the runners. The PB, personal bests, of the Berlin Marathon has always kept records among the six majors. It's usually held in late September.

柏林马拉松，因平坦的赛道和极为舒适的气温，列大满贯PB之首，一直保持着六大满贯最快成绩纪录。一般在9月下旬君行。

The Chicago Marathon (芝加哥马拉松, zhī jiā gē mǎ lā sōng) has a loop track, and has earned a reputation for its great competition management and well-rounded services provided. It's usually held in the middle of October.

芝加哥马拉松，其赛道是环形路线，以优秀的赛事管理，以及对普通选手周到的照顾，而建立起自己在世界马拉松中的地位。一般在10月中旬举行。

The New York Marathon (纽约马拉松, niǔ yuē mǎ lā sōng) is the last held during a year, usually in early November. It's like an annual party for global marathon fans where they enjoy every aspect of a good marathon.

纽约马拉松，是每年最后一场大满贯收官赛事，就像一场世界马拉松年度大趴，比赛过程丰富、赛道漂亮、民众同乐，平等自由，让人们在这里体味马拉松的全部。一般在11月初举行。

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