Pheidippides Story

Item #5118

(September, 1990) Pheidippides and his wife Olympia are quite a pair! Not only do they share a pair of running shoes, but they are a pair for life. Pheidippides is trying his sneaker in preparation for the big race. He is named for the swift Greek runner who, in 490 B.C., ran over 25 miles from Marathon to Athens, Greece to alert the city of their victory over the Persians. This was the inspiration for today’s marathons (26 miles, 385 yards) run in track meets and in the Olympic games. Pheidippides has a Greek coin and a coin loaned to me by Sterling Martin, a champion distance runner who won this in a relay race. Pheidippides knows that with Olympia by his side, he’s prepaired for life.

Dr. Thomas F. Clark