The Challenge
The challenge is for you to swim the marathon distance - that's 26 miles and 385 yards. In metric, that's roughly around 42000 metres.
So, to swim the marathon at our Dronfield, Eckington or Sharley Park pools, you need to swim 1680 lengths of the 25 metre main pool.
There is no closing date and you may swim as far as you like at a time to suit you until you reach the finish line.
What is a Marathon?
The 'Marathon' is a 26.2 mile road race which was first run at the original modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.
The race celebrates the run of Greek soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield near Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C. Pheidippides raced almost 25 miles to bring news of a Greek victory in battle with the Persians, but collapsed and died as he reached the city.
The current distance of 26.2 miles was agreed following the 1908 London Olympic Games where a course of 26 miles covered the distance from Windsor Castle to the Olympic stadium, with 385 yards added on so the race could finish in front of the royal box.
The Method
Our pools are open seven days a week, come along to any session and swim as many lengths as you wish.
We'll give you a special record card for you to keep a note of how many lengths you swim and when. We trust you to keep your score accurately, but a member of staff will be happy to verify each entry by initialling it for you if you wish.
We can give you extra record cards for you to keep track of how far you've swum.
Make sure your name and address are on your completed cards when you hand them in, we'll return them to you along with your certificate and medal.
The Rewards
Self esteem
You will have completed the marathon distance and swum further than a cross-channel swimmer!
Fitness and health
Swimming is a fantastic, low-impact way to get fit, stay healthy and keep active.
Recognition
We'll award you with a certificate of Achievement and a commemorative medal. We'll also add your name to the Roll of Honour displayed in the foyer at your local centre.
Need another challenge?
Why not sign up to Splashpath, the FREE online swimming network designed to help you get the most out of swimming.
You can lookup your local pool timetables, network with swimming 'buddies' and take on virtual challenges, such as swimming Loch Ness or crossing the Nile! You can even use Splashpath through a FREE iPhone App.
Need to know more?
Downloads
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