I would really like to run. I think for some time already of different strategies to make me put my sneakers on and run. The fact that I would run only 0.1 minutes,  makes me quit before even start 🙂 Lately, I was checking the internet for how to start running programs, which would make me run at least ten minutes continuously without losing my pride and my breath. I went as far as buying winter running trousers.All I still need is the courage to start running. I don’t plan to run marathons, but I wish I would be able to run thirty minutes without fainting at the end. I have tried to run two years ago and after six weeks I could barely run without interruption for twenty minutes, a real record for me.  Reading more and more articles about running, I found all sorts of information about marathons. I’ve been to a few marathons as a supporter. I live with a runner and I see how much willpower, patience and dedication are involved. To run 42 kilometers is extraordinary!

In fact, a marathon is 42, 195 kilometers. The name marathon comes from a Greek legend. In August 490 B.C.,  Philippides, a Greek messenger, was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce the Persians were defeated. The legend says that he ran the entire distance without stopping.  Arriving in Athens he exclaimed Athens have won! just before he collapsed and died. This legend of Marathon appears in the writings of Herodotus, the great Greek historian. In 1896, when the modern Olympics began, the initiators and organizers were looking for an event that would recall the glory of ancient Greece. Michel Breal had the idea of a marathon race for the big opening of the Olympics in Athens. The marathon race for women took place for the first time at the Summer Olympic Games from Los Angeles, in 1984. The best runners are from Kenya și Ethiopia.

1. Everest Marathon (Nepal)

The world’s highest marathon is a challenge to reach the starting line. To acclimatize to high altitude, runners hike for 15 days before the marathon, starting from Gorak Shep. Then, at 6:30 a.m., they are starting the race on a route that includes snow, ice, yaks and narrow suspended bridges. The marathon starts at Everest Base Camp (5 364 m) and ends at Namche Bazaar (3 446 m). The event is in May every year. More details you can find here.

2. The Big Five Marathon (South Africa)

Located in one of the most amazing wildlife reserves in the world, this is the most spectacular marathon. The participants run through the big five savannah animals: elephants, rhinos, buffalo, lions and leopards. Nothing separates the runners from these animals. This could even encourage the runners for the fastest marathon of their life 🙂 The Big Five Marathon takes place in Entabeni Wildlife Reserve, from Limpopo Province, situată între Johannesburg and Kruger National Park. The event is in June every year. More details you can find here.

3. Midnight Sun Marathon (Norway)

Midnight Sun Marathon takes place in Norway, Tromsø. Although the marathon start is in the evening and the finish is around midnight, the participants run almost the entire marathon in sunlight. Between May and July, the sun does not set in Arctic Norway. Along the route, runners are accompanied by views of the Arctic mountains. The event is in June every year. More details you can find here.

4. Walt Disney Marathon (USA)

Every step is magic on this amazing Disney world marathon. The race goes through all four theme Disney parks: Magic Kingdom Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. The runners are supported by all Disney characters and at the finish line, they are receiving the Mickey Mouse Medal. This is the most magical marathon for your inner child. The event is in January every year. More details you can find here.

5. The Great Wall Marathon (China)

One of the most difficult marathons is in Tianjin Province, in China. Six kilometers of the race are exclusively on the Great Wall, the runners having to climb 5 164 steps. The Great Wall Marathon took place for the first time in 1999. It is one of the hardest marathons, but with an awesome view. The event is in June every year. More details you can find here.

6. Polar Circle Marathon (Greenland)

The Polar Circle Marathon often named the coolest marathon on Earth, takes place in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. This incredible marathon is a race in temperatures as low as -15C which passes by enormous glacier tongues,  endless ice and arctic tundra, glacial moraine landscapes and soundless arctic desert. The event is in October every year. More details you can find here.

7. Marathon du Medoc (France)

Marathon du Medoc is in Pauillac, near Bordeaux. Along with the race, runners pass 23 wine tastings and oyster, foie gras and cheese samplings stops. The marathon limit is 6 hours and 30 minutes. The route runs through more than 30 vineyards, including the legendary Château Lafite Rothschild, and the event has the most medical support of any marathon to cope with the consequences. The event is in September every year. More details you can find here.

8. Spartan Race (USA, Europa)

Spartan Race is a series of races with obstacles of varying difficulty and distance ranging from 5 kilometers to marathon distances. Spartan Race appeared in the US, but there is franchised to 14 countries, including Canada, Europe, South Korea and Australia. Spartan Series include Sprint, Super Spartan, Spartan Ultra Beast and Best. Failure to complete any obstacle results in a penalty of 30 Burpee, before advancing to the next segment of the race. A participant can get a Trifecta Medal after completing the Trifecta race: Spartan Sprint, Super Spartan and Spartan Beast, all within a year. Following a single run (only Spartan Sprint, or only Spartan Beast, for example), the participant receives a traditional circular medal and a third of a Trifecta medal. For more details check here and here.

9. The Color Run (International)

Color Run is a marathon full of color and fun and it is the happiest marathon. The first event Color Run was in March 2011. This short marathon is a unique paint race that celebrates healthiness, happiness, and individuality. The marathon is a 5 kilometers race. At the finish line, the happy runners receive a unicorn medal. The even became worldwide, in more than 35 countries. There is a Night Color Run as well. For more details check here.