Well, through research ( A Google query online, actually) i have discovered a most interesting detail about the name Marathon.
The story goes that there was a battle "(The Battle of Marathon)" on August 12, 490 B.C., fought by King Darius I of the Persian Empire against the people of Greece, Athens specifically. In the conlclusion of the war, Greece remained victiorious- thus preventing the Persians from acquiring Greek regions.(A guy named Pheidippedes died from exhaustion when he ran 26-miles to Athens to relate the victory.)
I know that this has almost, or no significance to the game Marathon- but i thought it was slightly rad and wanted everyone to think about it for kicks and giggles.