Q 01/05

What is the standardized distance of a modern marathon in kilometers?

A) 21.0975 km

B) 42.195 km

C) 50 km

D) 45 km

Answer · why

B) 42.195 km

A marathon is 42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards). That distance was run at the 1908 London Olympics and adopted as the official standard by the IAAF in 19...

Q 02/05

Who was the first person to officially break the four-minute mile barrier?

A) Hicham El Guerrouj

B) Jim Ryun

C) Paavo Nurmi

D) Roger Bannister

Answer · why

D) Roger Bannister

Roger Bannister ran 3:59.4 on 6 May 1954, paced by Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway; John Landy beat the mark 46 days later.

Q 03/05

The training method known as 'Fartlek' originates from which country?

A) Germany

B) Sweden

C) Finland

D) Norway

Answer · why

B) Sweden

It means 'speed play' and was developed in the late 1930s by Olympian Gösta Holmér, blending steady running with unstructured bursts over varied terra...

Q 04/05

What physiological event is commonly referred to as 'hitting the wall' during a marathon?

A) Running out of stored glycogen

B) Severe cramping in the calf muscles

C) Sudden dehydration

D) Extreme mental fatigue

Answer · why

A) Running out of stored glycogen

'Hitting the wall' is running out of stored glycogen, typically around 30 km; cyclists call it 'the bonk', and taking in carbohydrate during the race ...

Q 05/05

Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman borrowed which kitchen appliance to mould the grippy sole of an early running shoe?

A) A waffle iron

B) A pressure cooker

C) A sandwich press

D) A meat grinder

Answer · why

A) A waffle iron

Bowerman poured urethane into a waffle iron belonging to his wife, chasing a grippy, lightweight sole; the result became the Waffle Racer, and he co-f...