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For Life
2008.10.08

It is said that the first marathon was run by a Greek messenger, eager to announce a military victory to the Senate in Athens. The battle took place in the town of Marathon, roughly 42 kilometers from the Greek capital - the distance of the modern-day race we call the “marathon.”

... the messenger's finishing time was never recorded.

Today's LessonCATEGORY: 混同しやすい言葉CATEGORY: ジャパニーズイングリッシュ
LONG-DISTANCE (race) vs. MARATHON
長距離走 vs. マラソン

Explanation

  • A long-distance race is a running event of 3000 meters or longer.

    A marathon is a running event of exactly 42.195 kilometers.

    Be Careful! We do NOT use the word marathon like the Japanese マラソン to mean any long-distance running event.
  • long-distance race とは、3000メートル以上を走る競技、つまり、長距離走のことです。

    marathon とは、きっかり42.195キロメートルを走る競技、つまり、マラソンのことです。

    注意: marathon は日本語のマラソンのように、全ての long-distance 競争、つまり長距離走という意味では使いません。

LONG-DISTANCE (race) vs. MARATHON

examples

  1. My daughter is a long-distance runner at her university. She just set the school record for the 3000-meter.
  2. The Olympic long-distance events are the 5000-meter race, the 10,000-meter race, and the marathon.
  3. Hiro is going to run in next year's Tokyo Marathon. He hopes to break (= finish in less than) 3 1/2 hours, so he's training really hard.
  4. Dan's in amazing shape. I mean, he runs marathons!

英会話レッスンTake care!