It started when Pheidippides
Took the news to distant Athens.
A mighty battle had been won
Along the road at Marathon.

But poor Pheidippides he dropped dead.
No great ad for the race as happens.
But then in eighteen ninety six
It came back in the modern Olympics.

The race was then round twenty five miles.
Roughly distance back to Athens.
It stayed that distance more or less
Quite far enough I must confess.

But then in nineteen hundred eight
Something slightly iffy happens
They change the distance for the Queen
To the length it's ever since been.

From Windsor Castle to White City
Made for a route of twenty six miles.
But Queen Victoria would be there,
Ought to finish in front of her.

They fixed it then; twenty six point two;
So after twenty six hard miles,
Extra three hundred eighty five yards.
To make the race that bit more hard.

Poor Pheidippides he dropped down dead
After running all of those miles.
Would he have got the message out
If he had to run the extra yards?

And runners coming to the line
Curse with scant breath the Empress Queen.
The finish is not where it should have been.
It makes the race that bit more hard
To have to run the extra yards.