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116-571: The Miami Marathon is an annual marathon racing event hosted by Miami , Florida , since 2003. The marathon course also runs through the city of Miami Beach , Florida . The 42.195-kilometre (26.219 mi) race is typically run on the last Sunday in January or the first Sunday in February, at approximately 6:00   am. The event also includes a half marathon, and a wheelchair division for both races. Marathon finish times can be used to qualify for

232-479: A control system to augment or replace user control . Its purpose is to reduce or eliminate the user's task of driving a powerchair. Usually, a smart wheelchair is controlled via a computer , has a suite of sensors and applies techniques in mobile robotics , but this is not necessary. The type of sensors most frequently used by smart wheelchairs are the ultrasonic acoustic range finder (i.e. sonar ) and infrared red (IR) range finder. The interface may consist of

348-475: A road race , but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions. More than 800 marathons are held worldwide each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes, as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants. A creation of the French philologist Michel Bréal inspired by

464-666: A treadmill or bicycle trainer . Some devices have been created that could be used in conjunction with virtual travel and interactive gaming similar to an omnidirectional treadmill . This convergence of virtual reality and a treadmill have been used for pediatric and adult rehabilitation to regain walking skills. In 2011, British inventor Andrew Slorance developed Carbon Black the first wheelchair to be made almost entirely out of carbon fibre Recently, EPFL 's CNBI project has succeeded in making wheelchairs that can be controlled by brain impulses. Interest in electric-powered wheelchairs that are able to climb stairs has increased over

580-622: A button at the centre of the wheel. All major varieties of wheelchairs can be highly customized for the user's needs. Such customization may encompass the seat dimensions, height, seat angle, footplates, leg rests, front caster outriggers, adjustable backrests and controls. Various optional accessories are available, such as anti-tip bars or wheels, safety belts, adjustable backrests, tilt and/or recline features, extra support for limbs or head and neck, holders for crutches , walkers or oxygen tanks, drink holders, and mud and wheel-guards as clothing protectors. Light weight and high costs are related to

696-559: A child and was later murdered in an unrelated incident. Budhia is now at a state-run sports academy. The youngest under 4 hours is Mary Etta Boitano at age 7 years, 284 days; under 3 hours Julie Mullin at 10 years 180 days; and under 2:50 Carrie Garritson at 11 years 116 days. In 2016, Running USA estimated that there were approximately 507,600 marathon finishers in the United States, while other sources reported greater than 550,000 finishers. The chart below from Running USA provides

812-499: A conventional wheelchair joystick, a " sip-and-puff " device or a touch-sensitive display. This differs from a conventional powerchair, in which the user exerts manual control over speed and direction without intervention by the wheelchair's control system. Smart wheelchairs are designed for a variety of user types. Some are designed for users with cognitive impairments , such as dementia , these typically apply collision-avoidance techniques to ensure that users do not accidentally select

928-514: A course of 26 miles from the start at Windsor Castle to the royal entrance to the White City Stadium , followed by a lap (586 yards 2 feet; 536 m) of the track, finishing in front of the Royal Box. The course was later altered to use a different entrance to the stadium, followed by a partial lap of 385 yards to the same finish. The modern 42.195 km (26.219 mi) standard distance for

1044-592: A different market segment, people with a limited ability to walk, but who might not otherwise consider themselves disabled. Smaller mobility scooters are typically three wheeled, with a base on which is mounted a basic seat at the rear, with a control tiller at the front. Larger scooters are frequently four-wheeled, with a much more substantial seat. Opinions are often polarized as to whether mobility scooters should be considered wheelchairs or not, and negative stereotyping of scooter users can be worse than for some manual or power-chair users. Some commercial organisations draw

1160-422: A distinction between power-chairs and scooters when making access provisions due to a lack of clarity in the law as to whether scooters fall under the same equality legislation as wheelchairs. One-arm or single arm drive enables a user to self-propel a manual wheelchair using only a single arm. The large wheel on the same side as the arm to be used is fitted with two concentric handrims, one of smaller diameter than

1276-494: A division for athletes with all disabilities. Sub-divisions include open divisions male and female, push-rim, handcyle 2019 Alfredo De los deSantos member of the Freedom Team of Shifting Gears United. Paralympian Alfredo de los deSantos repeats another win. Bronze medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of 42km 195m ( c. 26mi 385yd), usually run as

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1392-486: A drive command that results in a collision. Others focus on users living with severe motor disabilities, such as cerebral palsy , or with quadriplegia , and the role of the smart wheelchair is to interpret small muscular activations as high-level commands and execute them. Such wheelchairs typically employ techniques from artificial intelligence , such as path-planning . Recent technological advances are slowly improving wheelchair and powerchair technology. A variation on

1508-495: A highly disproportionate share of marathon and track-and-field winners. The Boston Marathon began on 19 April 1897 and was inspired by the success of the first marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics . It is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's most prestigious road racing events. Its course runs from Hopkinton in southern Middlesex County to Copley Square in Boston. Johnny Hayes ' victory at

1624-501: A length below the minimum distance. For events governed by IAAF rules, the route must be marked so that all competitors can see the distance covered in kilometers. The rules do not mention the use of miles. The IAAF will only recognize world records established at events run under IAAF rules. For major events, it is customary to publish competitors' timings at the midway mark and also at 5 km splits; marathon runners can be credited with world records for lesser distances recognized by

1740-469: A manual chair while providing motorised assistance for rough/uneven terrain and steep slopes that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to navigate, especially by those with limited upper-body function. As the wheels necessarily come at a weight penalty it is often possible to exchange them with standard wheels to match the capabilities of the wheelchair to the current activity. Mobility scooters share some features with powerchairs, but primarily address

1856-435: A marathon in each state of the United States plus Washington, D.C., and some have done it as many as eight times. Beverly Paquin, a 22-year-old nurse from Iowa, was the youngest woman to run a marathon in all 50 states in 2010. A few weeks later, still in 2010, Morgan Cummings (also 22) became the youngest woman to complete a marathon in all 50 states and DC. In 2004, Chuck Bryant of Miami, Florida, who lost his right leg below

1972-490: A marathon with her 9 hours 53 minutes performance at the 2010 Honolulu Marathon . The records of the Association of Road Racing Statisticians , at that time, however, suggested that Singh was overall the oldest marathoner, completing the 2004 London Marathon at the age of 93 years and 17 days, and that Burrill was the oldest female marathoner, completing the 2010 Honolulu Marathon at the age of 92 years and 19 days. Singh's age

2088-400: A member of the 100 Marathon Club, set the world record for running 500 marathons in the fastest average finish time of 3 hours 15 minutes, at the same time becoming the first man to run 500 marathons with an official time below 3 hours 30 minutes, on 11 November 2012 at Milton Keynes, England. The records took 24 years to achieve. Edwards was 49 at the time. Over 350 individuals have completed

2204-411: A mining accident. Everest and Jennings saw the business potential of the invention and went on to become the first mass-market manufacturer of wheelchairs. Their "X-brace" design is still in common use, albeit with updated materials and other improvements. The X-brace idea came to Jennings from the men's folding "camp chairs/stools", rotated 90 degrees, used in the outdoors and at the mines. There are

2320-455: A motor). The two-gear wheels offer two speed ratios- 1:1 (no help, no extra torque) and 2:1, providing 100% more hill climbing force. The low gear incorporates an automatic "hill hold" function which holds the wheelchair in place on a hill between pushes, but will allow the user to override the hill hold to roll the wheels backward if needed. The low gear also provides downhill control when descending. A recent development related to wheelchairs

2436-512: A person standing at the rear and pushing on handles incorporated into the frame. Braking is supplied directly by the attendant who will usually also be provided with a foot- or hand-operated parking brake. These chairs are common in institutional settings and as loaner-chairs in large public venues. They are usually constructed from steel as light weight is less of a concern when the user is not required to self-propel. Specially designed transfer chairs are now required features at airports in much of

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2552-422: A pronounced negative camber for the wheels (which provides stability and is helpful for making sharp turns), and often are made of composite, lightweight materials. Even seating positions may be radically different, with racing wheelchairs generally used in a kneeling position. Sport wheelchairs are rarely suited for everyday use, and are often a 'second' chair specifically for sports use, although some users prefer

2668-419: A record time for this route until the non-Olympics Athens Classic Marathon of 2014 when Felix Kandie lowered the course record to 2 hours 10 minutes and 37 seconds. The women's marathon was introduced at the 1984 Summer Olympics (Los Angeles, US) and was won by Joan Benoit of the United States with a time of 2 hours 24 minutes and 52 seconds. It has become a tradition for the men's Olympic marathon to be

2784-436: A similar design, this method of transportation did not exist until 1595 when an unknown inventor from Spain built one for King Phillip II . Although it was an elaborate chair having both armrests and leg rests, the design still had shortcomings since it did not feature an efficient propulsion mechanism and thus required assistance to propel it. This makes the design more comparable to a modern-day highchair or portable throne for

2900-457: A similar function by linking both wheels rigidly together and using one of the footplates to control steering via a linkage to the front caster. Reclining or tilt-in-space wheelchairs have seating surfaces that can be tilted to various angles. The original concept was developed by an orthotist, Hugh Barclay, who worked with disabled children and observed that postural deformities such as scoliosis could be supported or partially corrected by allowing

3016-465: A simple joystick. Adapting the built environment to make it more accessible to wheelchair users is one of the key campaigns of disability rights movements and local equality legislation such the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The social model of disability defines 'disability' as the discrimination experienced by people with impairments as a result of the failure of society to provide

3132-466: A sitting patient, or be adjusted to lie flat to help in the lateral (or supine) transfer of a patient from a bed to the chair or back. Once transferred, the stretcher can be adjusted to allow the patient to assume a sitting position. All-terrain wheelchairs can allow users to access terrain otherwise completely inaccessible to a wheelchair user. Two different formats have been developed. One hybridises wheelchair and mountain bike technology, generally taking

3248-640: A small joystick mounted on the armrest, or on the upper rear of the frame. Alternatives exist for the traditional manual joystick, including head switches, chin-operated joysticks, sip-and-puff controllers or other specialist controls, which may allow independent operation of the wheelchair for a wider population of users with varying motor impairments. Ranges of over 10 miles/15 km are commonly available from standard batteries. Powerchairs are commonly divided by their access capabilities. An indoor-chair may only reliably be able to cross completely flat surfaces, limiting them to household use. An indoor-outdoor chair

3364-541: A story from Ancient Greece , the marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896 in Athens . The distance did not become standardized until 1921. The distance is also included in the World Athletics Championships , which began in 1983. It is the only running road race included in both championship competitions (walking races on the roads are also contested in both). The name Marathon comes from

3480-449: A straight line while moving across a slope. Sport wheelchairs often have large camber angles to improve stability. Rigid-framed chairs are generally made to measure, to suit both the specific size of the user and their needs and preferences around areas such as the "tippyness" of the chair - determined by the distance between the center of gravity and the rear axle. Experienced users with sufficient upper-body strength can generally balance

3596-417: A westward climb along the eastern and northern slopes of Mount Penteli to the pass of Dionysos , and then a straight southward downhill path to Athens. This route is slightly shorter, 35 kilometres (22 mi), but includes a very steep climb over the first 5 kilometres (3.1 mi). When the modern Olympics began in 1896 , the initiators and organizers were looking for a great popularizing event, recalling

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3712-822: A wheelchair and a standing frame , allowing the user to sit or stand in the wheelchair as they wish. Some versions are entirely manual, others have a powered stand on an otherwise manual chair, while others have full power, tilt, recline and variations of powered stand functions available. The benefits of such a device include, but are not limited to: aiding independence and productivity, raising self-esteem and psychological well-being, heightening social status, extending access, relief of pressure, reduction of pressure sores, improved functional reach, improved respiration, reduced occurrence of UTI , improved flexibility, help in maintaining bone mineral density, improved passive range motion, reduction in abnormal muscle tone and spasticity, and skeletal deformities. Other wheelchairs provide some of

3828-413: A wide variety of formats to meet the specific needs of their users. They may include specialized seating adaptions, and individualized controls, and may be specific to particular activities, as with sports wheelchairs and beach wheelchairs. The most widely recognized distinction is between motorized wheelchairs , where propulsion is provided by batteries and electric motors, and manual wheelchairs , where

3944-461: A wide variety of types of wheelchairs, differing by propulsion method, mechanisms of control, and technology used. Some wheelchairs are designed for general everyday use, others for single activities, or to address specific access needs. Innovation within the wheelchair industry is relatively common, but many innovations ultimately fall by the wayside, either from over-specialization or from failing to come to market at an accessible price point. The iBOT

4060-412: Is a recent development that uses the frame and seating of a typical rigid manual chair while replacing the standard rear wheels with wheels of similar size which incorporate batteries and battery-powered motors in the hubs. A floating rim design senses the pressure applied by the user's push and activates the motors proportionately to provide a power assist. This results in the convenience, and small size of

4176-524: Is disputed based on its tongue-in-cheek writing and the runner being referred to as Philippides and not Pheidippides. There is debate about the historical accuracy of this legend. The Greek historian Herodotus , the main source for the Greco-Persian Wars , mentioned Philippides as the messenger who ran from Athens to Sparta asking for help, and then ran back, a distance of over 240 kilometres (150 mi) each way. In some Herodotus manuscripts,

4292-525: Is fully electrical wheelchair power add-ons that use lithium-ion battery , brushless DC electric motor and light-weight aluminium frames with easy to attach clamps to convert almost any manual wheelchair into electrical trike in seconds. That makes long-distance journeys and everyday tasks much easier and keeps wheelchair users hands clean. There have been significant efforts over the past 20 years to develop stationary wheelchair trainer platforms that could enable wheelchair users to exercise as one would on

4408-456: Is intended to provide a focal point for all runners, particularly from the United Kingdom or Ireland, who have completed 100 or more races of marathon distance or longer. At least 10 of these events must be United Kingdom or Ireland Road Marathons. Club chairman Roger Biggs has run more than 700 marathons or ultras. Brian Mills completed his 800th marathon on 17 September 2011. Steve Edwards,

4524-425: Is less limited, but may have restricted range or ability to deal with slopes or uneven surfaces. An outdoor chair is more capable, but will still have a very restricted ability to deal with rough terrain. A very few specialist designs offer a true cross-country capability. Powerchairs have access to the full range of wheelchair options, including ones that are difficult to provide in an unpowered manual chair, but have

4640-427: Is particularly common among people with spinal cord injuries such as quadriplegia. In the case of tilting wheelchairs , the seat-back, seat base, and leg rests tilt back as one unit, somewhat similar to the way a person might tip a four-legged chair backward to balance it on the back legs. While fully reclining spreads the person's weight over the entire back side of the body, tilting wheelchairs transfer it from only

4756-402: Is perhaps the best-known example of this in recent years. A self-propelled manual wheelchair incorporates a frame, seat, one or two footplates (footrests), and four wheels: usually two caster wheels at the front and two large wheels at the back. There will generally also be a separate seat cushion. The larger rear wheels usually have push-rims of slightly smaller diameter projecting just beyond

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4872-427: Is the handcycle . They come in a variety of forms, from the road and track racing models to off-road types modelled after mountain bikes . While dedicated handcycle designs are manufactured, clip-on versions are available that can convert a manual wheelchair to a handcycle in seconds. The general concept is a clip-on front-fork with hand-pedals, usually attaching to a mounting on the footplate. A somewhat related concept

4988-539: Is the Freewheel, a large dolley wheel attaching to the front of a manual wheelchair, again generally to the footplate mounting, which improves wheelchair performance over rough terrain. Unlike a handcycle, a wheelchair with a Freewheel continues to be propelled via the rear wheels. There are several types of hybrid-powered handcycles where hand-pedals and used along with the electrical motor that helps on hills and large distances. The most recent generation of clip-on handcycles

5104-437: Is the installation of shock absorbers, such as "Frog Legs", which cushion the bumps over which the chair rolls. These shock absorbers may be added to the front wheels, to the rear wheels, or both. Rigid chairs also have the option for their rear wheels to have a camber, or tilt, which angles the tops of the wheels in toward the chair. This allows for more mechanically efficient propulsion by the user and also makes it easier to hold

5220-429: Is the oldest to complete a marathon in under 3 hours at age 74, and under 4 hours at age 85. Budhia Singh , a boy from Odisha , India, completed his first marathon at age five. He trained under the coach Biranchi Das, who saw potential in him. In May 2006, Budhia was temporarily banned from running by the ministers of child welfare, as his life could be at risk. His coach was also arrested for exploiting and cruelty to

5336-783: Is the only marathon where participants run over two continents (Europe and Asia) during a single event. In the Detroit Free Press Marathon , participants cross the US/Canada border twice. The Niagara Falls International Marathon includes one international border crossing, via the Peace Bridge from Buffalo , New York, United States to Fort Erie , Ontario, Canada. In the Three Countries Marathon  [ de ] , participants run through Germany, Switzerland and Austria. On 20 March 2018, an indoor Marathon occurred in

5452-653: Is the world's oldest annual marathon, inspired by the success of the 1896 Olympic marathon and held every year since 1897 to celebrate Patriots' Day , a holiday marking the beginning of the American Revolution , thereby purposely linking Athenian and American struggle for democracy. The oldest annual marathon in Europe is the Košice Peace Marathon , held since 1924 in Košice , Slovakia. The historic Polytechnic Marathon

5568-454: Is under development, and has been tested in Kenya and India so far. The addition of geared, all-mechanical wheels for manual wheelchairs is a new development incorporating a hypocycloidal reduction gear into the wheel design. The 2-gear wheels can be added to a manual wheelchair. The geared wheels provide a user with additional assistance by providing leverage through gearing (like a bicycle, not

5684-458: The Boston Marathon . Shifting Gears United is partner for the disability division. Celebrities or local politicians typically start the race. Frank Shorter , 1972 Olympic marathon champion, and Ryan Hall , winner of the marathon event in the 2008 United States Olympic Trials , have been previously given this honor. The average temperature at the start of the race for the years 2003-2007

5800-860: The North Pole , in Antarctica , and over desert terrain. Other unusual marathons include the Great Wall Marathon on The Great Wall of China , the Big Five Marathon among the safari wildlife of South Africa, the Great Tibetan Marathon  – a marathon in an atmosphere of Tibetan Buddhism at an altitude of 3,500 metres (11,500 ft), and the Polar Circle Marathon on the permanent ice cap of Greenland . A few marathons cross international and geographical borders. The Istanbul Marathon

5916-725: The Venetian Causeway and back to the mainland and the City of Miami . Here, the Miami Half Marathon finishes and the full marathon continues southbound through the financial district, Brickell , into Coconut Grove , out the Rickenbacker Causeway towards Key Biscayne , and then back through Brickell and downtown Miami to complete the 42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi) at Bayfront Park . Through partnership with Shifting Gears United of South Florida, The Miami Marathon hosts

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6032-622: The World Marathon Majors series, awarding $ 500,000 annually to the best overall male and female performers in the series. In 2006, the editors of Runner's World selected a "World's Top 10 Marathons", in which the Amsterdam , Honolulu , Paris , Rotterdam , and Stockholm marathons were featured along with the five original World Marathon Majors events (excluding Tokyo). Other notable large marathons include United States Marine Corps Marathon , Los Angeles , and Rome . The Boston Marathon

6148-424: The first Olympic marathon , on 10 April 1896 (a male-only race), was Spyridon Louis , a Greek water-carrier, in 2 hours 58 minutes and 50 seconds. The marathon of the 2004 Summer Olympics was run on the traditional route from Marathon to Athens , ending at Panathinaiko Stadium , the venue for the 1896 Summer Olympics. That men's marathon was won by Italian Stefano Baldini in 2 hours 10 minutes and 55 seconds,

6264-477: The omniwheel or the Mecanum wheel . These allow for a broader spectrum of movement, but have made no mass-market penetration. The electric wheelchair shown on the right is fitted with Mecanum wheels (sometimes known as Ilon wheels) which give it complete freedom of movement. It can be driven forwards, backward, sideways, and diagonally, and also turned around on the spot or turned around while moving, all operated from

6380-642: The 1908 Summer Olympics also contributed to the early growth of long-distance running and marathoning in the United States. Later that year, races around the holiday season including the Empire City Marathon held on New Year's Day 1909 in Yonkers , New York, marked the early running craze referred to as "marathon mania". Following the 1908 Olympics, the first five amateur marathons in New York City were held on days that held special meanings: Thanksgiving Day ,

6496-572: The 6th and 5th century BC. The first records of wheeled seats being used for transporting disabled people date to three centuries later in China; the Chinese used early wheelbarrows to move people as well as heavy objects. A distinction between the two functions was not made for another several hundred years, until around AD 525, when images of wheeled chairs made specifically to carry people began to occur in Chinese art. Although Europeans eventually developed

6612-479: The Armory in New York City. The 200 m track saw a world record in the women's and men's field. Lindsey Scherf (USA) set the indoor women's world record with 2:40:55. Malcolm Richards (USA) won in 2:19:01 with a male indoor world record. Many marathons feature a wheelchair division. Typically, those in the wheelchair racing division start their races earlier than their running counterparts. The first wheelchair marathon

6728-452: The Boardwalk. Soon, many healthy tourists also rented the decorated "rolling chairs" and servants to push them as a show of decadence and treatment they could never experience at home. In 1933 Harry C. Jennings Sr. and his disabled friend Herbert Everest, both mechanical engineers , invented the first lightweight, steel, folding, portable wheelchair. Everest had previously broken his back in

6844-566: The IAAF (such as 20 km, 30 km and so on) if such records are established while the runner is running a marathon and completes the marathon course. Annually, more than 800 marathons are organized worldwide. Some of these belong to the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) which has grown since its foundation in 1982 to embrace over 300 member events in 83 countries and territories. The marathons of Berlin , Boston , Chicago , London , New York City and Tokyo form

6960-464: The IAAF, now known as World Athletics , until 1 January 2004; previously, the best times for the marathon were referred to as the 'world best'. Courses must conform to World Athletics standards for a record to be recognized. However, marathon routes still vary greatly in elevation, course, and surface, making exact comparisons impossible. Typically, the fastest times are set over relatively flat courses near sea level, during good weather conditions and with

7076-528: The New York City Marathon and New York Road Runners club had to allow wheelchair athletes to compete, and confirmed this at appeal in 1980, but the New York Supreme Court ruled in 1981 that a ban on wheelchair racers was not discriminatory as the marathon was historically a foot race. However, by 1986, 14 wheelchair athletes were competing, and an official wheelchair division was added to

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7192-402: The adaptions needed for them to participate in society as equals. This includes both physical adaptions of the built environment and adaption of organizational and social structures and attitudes. A core principle of access is universal design - that all people regardless of disability are entitled to equal access to all parts of society like public transportation and buildings. A wheelchair user

7308-581: The assistance of pacesetters . The current world record time for men over the distance is 2 hours and 35 seconds, set in the Chicago Marathon by the late Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya on 8 October 2023. The world record for women was set by Ruth Chepng'etich of Kenya in the Chicago Marathon on 13 October 2024, in 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 56 seconds. This broke Tigst Assefa's previous world record of 2 hours 11 minutes and 53 seconds by almost two minutes, and

7424-431: The buttocks and thighs (in the seated position) to partially on the back and head (in the tilted position). Tilting wheelchairs are preferred for people who use molded or contoured seats, who need to maintain a particular posture, who adversely affected by sheer forces (reclining causes the body to slide slightly every time), or who need to keep a communication device, powered wheelchair controls, or other attached device in

7540-657: The chair on its rear wheels, a "wheelie", and the "tippyness" of the chair controls the ease with which this can be initiated. The wheelie allows an independent wheelchair user to climb and descend curbs and move more easily over small obstacles and irregular ground such as cobbles. The rear wheels of self-propelled wheelchairs typically range from 20–24 in (510–610 mm) in diameter, and commonly resemble bicycle wheels. Wheels are rubber-tired and may be solid, pneumatic or gel-filled. The wheels of folding chairs may be permanently attached, but those for rigid chairs are commonly fitted with quick-release axles activated by depressing

7656-692: The chair. Rigid chairs typically feature instant-release rear wheels and backrests that fold down flat, allowing the user to dismantle the chair quickly for storage in a car. A few wheelchairs attempt to combine the features of both designs by providing a fold-to-rigid mechanism in which the joints are mechanically locked when the wheelchair is in use. Many rigid models are made with light materials such as aluminium and titanium , and wheelchairs of composite materials such as carbon-fibre have started to appear. Ultra lightweight rigid wheelchairs are commonly known as 'active user chairs' as they are ideally suited to independent use. Another innovation in rigid chair design

7772-427: The combined races. For the 10 year anniversary in 2012 the race sold out at 25,000 runners and has continued to reach that number of participants since. The 2021 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic . with all registrants given the option of running the race virtually, transferring their entry to 2022, or obtaining a refund (less any processing fees). 18,000 runners participated in either

7888-447: The day after Christmas, New Year's Day, Washington's Birthday , and Lincoln's Birthday . Frank Shorter 's victory in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics would spur national enthusiasm for the sport more intensely than that which followed Hayes' win 64 years earlier. In 2014, an estimated 550,600 runners completed a marathon within the United States. This can be compared to 143,000 in 1980. Today, marathons are held all around

8004-408: The developed world in order to allow access down narrow airliner aisles and facilitate the transfer of wheelchair-using passengers to and from their seats on the aircraft. An electric-powered wheelchair, commonly called a "powerchair" is a wheelchair that additionally incorporates batteries and electric motors into the frame and that is controlled by either the user or an attendant, most commonly via

8120-411: The different designs is that they have extra-wide balloon wheels or tires, to increase stability and decrease ground pressure on uneven or unsteady terrain. Different models are available, both manual and battery-driven. In some countries in Europe, where accessible tourism is well established, many beaches have wheelchairs of this type available for loan/hire. A smart wheelchair is any powerchair using

8236-424: The disadvantage of significant extra weight. Where an ultra-lightweight manual chair may weigh under 10 kg, the largest outdoor power-chairs may weigh 200 kg or more. Smaller power chairs often have four wheels, with front or rear wheel drive, but large outdoor designs commonly have six wheels, with small wheels at front and rear and somewhat larger powered wheels in the centre. A power-assisted wheelchair

8352-535: The estimated U.S. Marathon Finisher totals going back to 1976. Marathon running has become an obsession in China , with 22 marathon races in 2011 increasing to 400 in 2017. In 2015, 75 Chinese runners participated in the Boston Marathon and this increased to 278 in 2017. As marathon running has become more popular, some athletes have undertaken challenges involving running a series of marathons. The 100 Marathon Club

8468-541: The first woman to be officially timed in a marathon, in 1926. Arlene Pieper became the first woman to officially finish a marathon in the United States when she completed the Pikes Peak Marathon in Manitou Springs, Colorado, in 1959. Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon "officially" (with a number), in 1967. However, Switzer's entry, which was accepted through an "oversight" in

8584-402: The form of a frame within which the user sits and with four mountain bike wheels at the corners. In general, there are no push-rims and propulsion/braking is by pushing directly on the tyres. A more common variant is the beach wheelchair (beach-going wheelchair) which can allow better mobility on beach sand, including in the water, on uneven terrain, and even on snow. The common adaptation among

8700-604: The glory of ancient Greece . The idea of a marathon race came from Michel Bréal , who wanted the event to feature in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens. This idea was heavily supported by Pierre de Coubertin , the founder of the modern Olympics, as well as by the Greeks . A selection race for the Olympic marathon was held on 22 March 1896 ( Gregorian ) that was won by Charilaos Vasilakos in 3 hours and 18 minutes. The winner of

8816-632: The half or full marathon race in the January 2024 event. Beginning on Biscayne Boulevard next to the Miami-Dade Arena (home of the Miami Heat ), the course takes runners eastbound on the MacArthur Causeway , past cruise ships docked at the Port of Miami , to South Beach . From there, competitors travel northbound along the famous Ocean Drive , through the City of Miami Beach , and then westbound along

8932-653: The knee, became the first amputee to finish this circuit. Bryant has completed a total of 59 marathons on his prosthesis. Twenty-seven people have run a marathon on each of the seven continents, and 31 people have run a marathon in each of the Canadian provinces. In 1980, in what was termed the Marathon of Hope , Terry Fox , who had lost a leg to cancer and so ran with one artificial leg, attained 5,373 km (3,339 mi) of his proposed cross-Canada cancer fundraising run, maintaining an average of over 37 km (23 mi), close to

9048-507: The last event of the athletics calendar, on the final day of the Olympics. For many years, the race finished inside the Olympic stadium; however, at the 2012 Summer Olympics (London), the start and finish were on The Mall , and at the 2016 Summer Olympics ( Rio de Janeiro ), the start and finish were in the Sambódromo , the parade area that serves as a spectator mall for Carnival . Often,

9164-534: The lay of the land southwards from Marathon Bay and along the coast, then takes a gentle but protracted climb westwards towards the eastern approach to Athens, between the foothills of Mounts Hymettus and Penteli , and then gently downhill to Athens proper. As it existed when the Olympics were revived in 1896, this route was approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) long. It was the approximate distance originally used for marathon races. However, there have been suggestions that Philippides might have followed another route:

9280-624: The legend of Pheidippides , the Greek messenger. The legend states that while he was taking part in the Battle of Marathon , which took place in August or September 490 BC, he witnessed a Persian vessel changing its course towards Athens as the battle was near a victorious end for the Greek army. He interpreted this as an attempt by the defeated Persians to rush into the city to claim a false victory or simply raid, hence claiming their authority over Greek land. It

9396-444: The manual wheelchair market. At the low-cost end, heavy, folding steel chairs with sling seats and little adaptability dominate. Users may be temporarily disabled, or using such a chair as a loaner, or simply unable to afford better. These chairs are common as "loaners" at large facilities such as airports, amusement parks and shopping centers. A slightly higher price band sees the same folding design produced in aluminium. The high end of

9512-606: The manually-propelled wheelchair is the Leveraged Freedom Chair (LFC), designed by the MIT Mobility Lab. This wheelchair is designed to be low-cost, constructed with local materials, for users in developing countries. Engineering modifications have added hand-controlled levers to the LFC, to enable users to move the chair over uneven ground and minor obstacles, such as bumpy dirt roads, that are common in developing countries. It

9628-579: The marathon in 2000. Some of the quickest people to complete a wheel-chair marathon include Thomas Geierpichler (Austria), who won gold in the men's T52-class marathon (no lower limb function) in 1 hr 49 min 7 sec in Beijing, China, on 17 September 2008; and, Heinz Frei (Switzerland) who won the men's T54 marathon (for racers with spinal cord injuries) in a time of 1 hr 20 min and 14 sec in Oita, Japan, 31 October 1999. World records were not officially recognized by

9744-409: The marathon races in the first few Olympic Games were about 40 kilometres (25 mi), roughly the distance from Marathon to Athens by the longer, flatter route. The exact length depended on the route established for each venue. The International Olympic Committee agreed in 1907 that the distance for the 1908 London Olympic marathon would be about 25 miles or 40 kilometers. The organizers decided on

9860-596: The marathon was set by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) in May 1921 directly from the length used at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. An official IAAF marathon course is 42.195 km (42 m tolerance only in excess). Course officials add a short course prevention factor of up to one meter per kilometer to their measurements to reduce the risk of a measuring error producing

9976-425: The market contains ultra-light models, extensive seating options and accessories, all-terrain features, and so forth. The most expensive manual chairs may rival the cost of a small car. An attendant-propelled wheelchair (also known as a companion or transfer chair) is generally similar to a self-propelled manual wheelchair, but with small diameter wheels at both front and rear. The chair is maneuvered and controlled by

10092-538: The men's marathon medals are awarded during the closing ceremony (including the 2004 games , 2012 games , 2016 games and 2020 games ). The Olympic men's record is 2:06:26, set at the 2024 Summer Olympics by Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia. The Olympic women's record is 2:23:07, set at the 2012 Summer Olympics by Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia. Per capita, the Kalenjin ethnic group of Rift Valley Province in Kenya has produced

10208-523: The name of the runner between Athens and Sparta is given as Philippides. Herodotus makes no mention of a messenger sent from Marathon to Athens and relates that the main part of the Athenian army, having fought and won the grueling battle and fearing a naval raid by the Persian fleet against an undefended Athens, marched quickly back from the battle to Athens, arriving the same day. In 1879, Robert Browning wrote

10324-462: The oldest marathoner. Because Singh could not produce a birth certificate from rural 1911 Colonial India, the place of his birth, his age could not be verified and his record was not accepted by the official governing body World Masters Athletics . Johnny Kelley ran his last full Boston Marathon at the documented age of 84 in 1992. He previously had won the Boston Marathon in both 1935 and 1945 respectively. Between 1934 and 1950, Johnny finished in

10440-437: The other. On most models the outer, smaller rim, is connected to the wheel on the opposite side by an inner concentric axle. When both handrims are grasped together, the chair may be propelled forward or backward in a straight line. When either handrim is moved independently, only a single wheel is used and the chair will turn left or right in response to the handrim used. Some wheelchairs, designed for use by hemiplegics , provide

10556-597: The past twenty years. Therefore, many electric wheelchairs with the ability to climb stairs have been developed. Electric-powered wheelchairs with climbing ability need to be stronger and have greater movement in comparison to an electric-powered wheelchair that cannot climb stairs. They must also be stable in order to prevent injury to the wheelchair user. There are currently a number of electric powered wheelchairs that are able to climb stairs available to purchase. Technical developments are continuing in this area. Experiments have also been made with unusual variant wheels, like

10672-536: The planned marathon distance, for each of 143 consecutive days. On 25 September 2011, Patrick Finney of Grapevine, Texas became the first person with multiple sclerosis to finish a marathon in each state of the United States. In 2004, "the disease had left him unable to walk. But unwilling to endure a life of infirmity, Finney managed to regain his ability to balance on two feet, to walk – and eventually to run – through extensive rehabilitation therapy and new medications." Wheelchair Wheelchairs come in

10788-434: The poem Pheidippides . Browning's poem, his composite story, became part of late 19th-century popular culture and was accepted as a historical legend. Mount Pentelicus stands between Marathon and Athens, which means that Philippides would have had to run around the mountain, either to the north or to the south. The latter and more obvious route is followed by the modern Marathon-Athens highway ( EO83 – EO54 ), which follows

10904-425: The propulsive force is provided either by the wheelchair user or occupant pushing the wheelchair by hand (self-propelled), by an attendant pushing from the rear using the handle(s), or by an attendant pushing from the side use a handle attachment. The earliest records of wheeled furniture are an inscription found on a stone slate in China and a child's bed depicted in a frieze on a Greek vase , both dating between

11020-519: The runner's name as either Thersipus of Erchius or Eucles. This was the account adopted by Benjamin Haydon for his painting [REDACTED] Eucles Announcing the Victory of Marathon , published as an engraving in 1836 with a poetical illustration by Letitia Elizabeth Landon . Satirist Lucian of Samosata gave one of the earliest accounts similar to the modern version of the story, but its historical veracity

11136-432: The same benefits by raising the entire seat to lift the user to standing height. A range of disabled sports have been developed for disabled athletes, including basketball , rugby , tennis , racing and dancing . The wheelchairs used for each sport have evolved to suit the specific needs of that sport and often no longer resemble their everyday cousins. They are usually non-folding (in order to increase rigidity), with

11252-433: The same relative position throughout the day. Tilting wheelchairs are commonly used by people with cerebral palsy, people with some muscle diseases, and people with limited range of motion in the hip or knee joints. Tilting options are more common than reclining options in wheelchairs designed for use by children. A standing wheelchair is one that supports the user in a nearly standing position. They can be used as both

11368-416: The screening process, was in "flagrant violation of the rules", and she was treated as an interloper once the error was discovered. Bobbi Gibb had completed the Boston race unofficially the previous year (1966), and was later recognized by the race organizers as the women's winner for that year, as well as 1967 and 1968 . The length of an Olympic marathon was not precisely fixed at first. Despite this,

11484-419: The sports options for everyday use. Some disabled people, specifically lower-limb amputees, may use a wheelchair for sports, but not for everyday activities. While most wheelchair sports use manual chairs, some power chair sports, such as powerchair football , exist. Hockey can also be played from electrical wheelchairs. Wheelchair stretchers are a variant of wheeled stretchers/gurneys that can accommodate

11600-486: The top five 15 times, consistently running in the 2:30s and finishing in second place a record seven times at Boston. A fixture at Boston for more than a half century, his 1992 61st start and 58th finish in Boston is a record which still stands today. Gladys Burrill, a 92-year-old Prospect, Oregon woman and part-time resident of Hawaii, previously held the Guinness World Records title of oldest person to complete

11716-414: The two sides together. This is an advantage for people who need to store the wheelchair frequently or to put it in a small vehicle. Rigid wheelchairs have permanently welded joints and many fewer moving parts. This reduces the energy required to push the chair by eliminating many points where the chair would flex and absorb energy as it moves. Welded rather than folding joints also reduce the overall weight of

11832-525: The tyre; these allow the user to manoeuvre the chair by pushing on them without requiring them to grasp the tyres. Manual wheelchairs generally have brakes that bear on the tyres of the rear wheels, however, these are solely a parking brakes and in-motion braking is provided by the user's palms bearing directly on the push-rims. As this causes friction and heat build-up, particularly on long downslopes, many wheelchair users will choose to wear padded wheelchair gloves. Manual wheelchairs often have two push handles at

11948-406: The upper rear of the frame to allow for manual propulsion by a second person, however many active wheelchair users will remove these to prevent unwanted pushing from people who believe they are being helpful. Everyday manual wheelchairs come in two major varieties, folding or rigid. Folding chairs are generally low-end designs, whose predominant advantage is being able to fold, generally by bringing

12064-463: The user can lie down completely flat. Reclining wheelchairs are preferred in some cases for some medical purposes, such as reducing the risk of pressure sores, providing passive movement of hip and knee joints, and making it easier to perform some nursing procedures, such as intermittent catheterization to empty the bladder and transfers to beds, and also for personal reasons, such as people who like using an attached tray. The use of reclining wheelchairs

12180-414: The wealthy than to a modern-day wheelchair for disabled people. In 1655, Stephan Farffler , a 22-year-old paraplegic watchmaker, built the world's first self-propelling chair on a three-wheel chassis using a system of cranks and cogwheels . However, the device resembled a hand bike more than a wheelchair since the design included hand cranks mounted at the front wheel. A self-propelled wheelchair

12296-418: The wheelchair user to relax in a tilted position. The feature is also of value to users who are unable to sit upright for extended periods for pain or other reasons. In the case of reclining wheelchairs , the seat-back tilts back, and the leg rests can be raised, while the seat base remains in the same position, somewhat similar to a common recliner chair. Some reclining wheelchairs lean back far enough that

12412-427: The world on a nearly weekly basis. For a long time after the Olympic marathon started, there were no long-distance races, such as the marathon, for women. Although a few women, such as Stamata Revithi in 1896, had run the marathon distance, they were not included in any official results. Marie-Louise Ledru has been credited as the first woman to complete a marathon, in 1918. Violet Piercy has been credited as

12528-405: The world record at 1:18:27, set in Boston in 2004. Jean Driscoll won eight times (seven consecutively) and holds the women's world record at 1:34:22. The New York City Marathon banned wheelchair entrants in 1977, citing safety concerns, but then voluntarily allowed Bob Hall to compete after the state Division of Human Rights ordered the marathon to show cause. The Division ruled in 1979 that

12644-514: Was 63.4 °F (17.4 °C). Life Time Fitness produces this event. The inaugural Orange Bowl Marathon , established as part of the annual King Orange Jamboree, was held on December 26, 1977 , with over 800 participants. Originally the race had started and finished in the Orange Bowl stadium but after issues with the course the start and finish moved to the Crandon Park . The marathon

12760-512: Was also reported to be 93 by other sources. In 2015, 92-year-old Harriette Thompson of Charlotte, North Carolina, completed the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon in 7 hours 24 minutes 36 seconds, thus becoming the oldest woman to complete a marathon. While Gladys Burrill was 92 years and 19 days old when she completed her record-setting marathon, Harriette Thompson was 92 years and 65 days old when she completed hers. English born Canadian Ed Whitlock

12876-543: Was discontinued in 1996. The Athens Classic Marathon traces the route of the 1896 Olympic course, starting in Marathon on the eastern coast of Attica, site of the Battle of Marathon of 490 BC, and ending at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens . The Midnight Sun Marathon is held in Tromsø , Norway at 70 degrees north . Using unofficial and temporary courses measured by GPS, races of marathon distance are now held at

12992-556: Was in 1974 in Toledo, Ohio, and it was won by Bob Hall at 2:54. Hall competed in the 1975 Boston Marathon and finished in 2:58, inaugurating the introduction of wheelchair divisions into the Boston Marathon. From 1977, the race was declared the US National Wheelchair championship. The Boston Marathon awards $ 10,000 to the winning push-rim athlete. Ernst van Dyk has won the Boston Marathon wheelchair division ten times and holds

13108-776: Was made for the Parliamentarian commander-in-chief Sir Thomas Fairfax due to the many injuries he had received during the English Civil War , and he used it during the final years of his life. The wheelchair of Thomas Fairfax is currently on display at the National Civil War Centre in Newark-on-Trent . The invalid carriage or Bath chair brought the technology into more common use from around 1760. In 1887, wheelchairs ("rolling chairs") were introduced to Atlantic City so invalid tourists could rent them to enjoy

13224-427: Was never as popular as other races in the racing calendar and had trouble attracting athletes. Eventually financial problems caused the event fold. The last Orange Bowl Marathon that the Association of Road Racing Statisticians has record of was held in 1988. The inaugural race was held on February 2, 2003 with about 3,400 participants. The race has been growing over the years. In 2010,18,321 runners took part in

13340-520: Was said that he ran the entire distance to Athens without stopping, discarding his weapons and even clothes to lose as much weight as possible, and burst into the assembly , exclaiming "we have won!", before collapsing and dying. The account of the run from Marathon to Athens first appeared in Plutarch 's On the Glory of Athens in the first century AD, which quoted from Heraclides Ponticus 's lost work, giving

13456-474: Was the first time in history a woman broke the 2:11 and 2:10 barriers in the marathon. The data is correct as of 2 November 2024 . Notes Fauja Singh , then 100, finished the Toronto Waterfront Marathon , becoming the first centenarian ever to officially complete that distance. Singh, a British citizen, finished the race on 16 October 2011 with a time of 8:11:05.9, making him

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