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==The Modern Sport==
[[File:Louis_entering_Kallimarmaron_at_the_1896_Athens_Olympics.jpg|thumbnail|275px330px|Spyridon Louis entering Olympic stadium in 1896.]]
With the introduction of the marathon as a new sport, it soon became popular as an event that was run outside of the Olympics. In 1897, the Boston Marathon began to be an annual event and today is one of six major world marathon events held where the world's top runners compete. The race is the oldest continuing marathon and has always been run on Patriot's day. The holiday symbolizes the first battles of the American Revolution and thus the Boston Athletic Association, who runs the event, uses the date to tie the American struggle for freedom with that of the ancient Greeks.<ref>For more information on the history of the Boston Marathon, see: Derderian, Tom. 2014. ''Boston Marathon a Celebration of the World’s Premier Race''. Triumph Books. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=1648811.</ref>
