The strangely exact length of a famous race

by The Secret of the Day | Aug 4, 2026 | THE RECORD

One of the most famous distances in all of sport is a peculiar, oddly precise number — not a round figure anyone would choose on purpose. It looks like it must trace back to ancient history. In fact it was set surprisingly recently, by the layout of a single event. Today's secret is the race, the number, and where that exactness came from.

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