Why are marathons 262 miles?

Answer 1

It comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. According to the legend he was sent from the battlefield of a place called Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. This took place in August or September 490 BC. The legend tells that he ran the whole distance without stopping and then burst into an assembly and exclaimed "We have won" and then collapsed and died. The distance which he ran is 26.2 miles and that is why the marathon is that distance.

Answer 2

They are 26.2 miles.