Pain of chasing glory as Kenyan athletes battle in the classic distance

Winner: Kenya's Rosemary Wanjiru is tended to by a helper after collapsing in the finish area during the 51st edition of the Berlin Marathon in Berlin, Germany on September 21, 2025. [Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP]

The marathon was first run on April 10, 1896, during the inaugural Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

But 130 years later, marathoners say, the 41.195km classic distance remains the cruellest event for their bodies, minds and hearts.