Lisbon marathon - some history and information.

The Lisbon Marathon is one of the most important sporting events in Portugal, attracting thousands of runners and spectators every year. The history of the marathon in Lisbon dates back to the early 1980s.

The first Lisbon Marathon took place in 1986 and was organized by the Lisbon City Council in partnership with the Portuguese Athletics Federation. The race started and finished at the Parque das Nações, an area in the city's eastern part that was built for the 1998 World Expo. The course took the runners through the historic center of Lisbon, passing by iconic landmarks such as the Belem Tower and the Jeronimos Monastery.

The inaugural marathon was won by the Portuguese athlete Carlos Lopes, who had already won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Lopes completed the race in 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 51 seconds, setting a new course record.

Over the years, the Lisbon Marathon has become a popular event for amateur and professional runners worldwide. In 1991, the marathon course was modified to make it flatter and faster, and in 2012 the start and finish were moved to the Vasco da Gama Bridge, the longest bridge in Europe.

The Lisbon Marathon has also become a major economic and cultural event for the city. It attracts thousands of tourists to Lisbon every year, and a range of cultural and sporting activities, such as concerts, exhibitions, and other sporting events often accompanies the race.

There are many other running competitions in Lisbon besides the marathon. There is a big half-marathon event taking place in March (normally) and there are several other competitions available if you feel like the sound of a full marathon sounds scary.

You should, however, know that there are other distances available at the day of Lisbon Marathon besides the full marathon. As a result, you can easily come to the Portugese capital and run even though the actual marathon is too long for you.