Comprehensive Guide to Marathon Schedules in Korea: From Full Courses to Local Festivals

reply 0 hit 1,332 date 25-10-18 21:49

목록
- 수정
- 삭제
- 검색

South Korea hosts over 200 marathon events annually!

From 13 major full-course races to over 200 local festival-style marathons, here's a comprehensive guide to marathons across the nation, easily accessible for beginner runners.

Many people likely watched the Gyeongju International Marathon broadcast today (October 18th).

The sight of thousands of runners at the starting line, shouting and running forward, was a human drama in itself.

During the broadcast, the commentator mentioned that "there are over 200 marathon events nationwide," which sparked curiosity: "Is that really true?"

Upon researching, it's surprising to find that there are indeed over 200 marathon events, both large and small, across the country, with at least 13 of them being full-course (42.195km) races.

While I've had a general understanding of marathons, today, let's delve a bit deeper.

1. The Origin of the Marathon - Delivering 'Victory News' at the Risk of One's Life

The origin of the marathon dates back to 490 BC, to the Battle of Marathon in ancient Greece.

Greek soldier Pheidippides is said to have sprinted approximately 40km from Marathon to Athens to deliver the news that they had defeated the Persians.

He reportedly shouted, "We have won! (Νενικήκαμεν)" and collapsed and died on the spot.

Inspired by this story, the first official 42.195km marathon race was held at the 1896 Athens Olympics.

Some have said, "Iran is reluctant to participate in the competition due to historical reasons related to the origin of the marathon because Iran used to be Persia."

But upon investigation, it was found that this was not true.

The Iranian government has never banned marathons, and marathon events are held in the country, and athletes participate in international competitions.

In other words, it has been confirmed that the claim that 'they do not participate for historical reasons' is merely a rumor.

Thus, the marathon is ultimately not just a simple run but a symbolic sport born from the "human will to convey sincerity."

2. Runners, Why Do They Voluntarily Endure Such Hardship?

"You can get there quickly by car, why bother running?"

This is probably an honest question in most people's minds.

But when you look at people who run marathons, there seems to be something more than just 'running.'

Even in the pouring rain or under the scorching summer sun, they run silently.

Today, it rained at the Gyeongju Dong-A Marathon, though not heavily.

Perhaps for them, running is more of a promise to themselves than a 'competition of records.'

No one is forcing them to do it, and the prize money isn't significant, but they seem to gain a strange sense of accomplishment and peace from the process of keeping the goals they set for themselves.

3. South Korean Marathon - An Era of 200 National Events

South Korea is said to be a veritable marathon powerhouse.

The table below is a summary of major national events as of 2025, categorized into 'International Standard Full Course / Full Course (Non-Label) / Half & Festival Type.'

Category

Event Name

City

Date

Distance

International Certification / Status