Half Marathon is an individual sport where participants run a distance of 13.1 miles on a laid-out course. The person with the quickest time of completion is the winner.

Half marathon is a great sport for those who want to experience the hard work and sense of accomplishment that comes with running a marathon, but not train for half a year. Run on the same hard-surface courses as marathons, half marathon is usually filled with recreational and non-competitive runners.

Complete a 13-mile race in the shortest amount of time possible.

Half marathons must be run on roads or other hard surfaces. Routes made of grass or other soft surfaces are not allowed. Both the starting and finishing points of the route must be properly marked. Distances must always be clearly posted. Refreshments cannot be offered or accepted at unauthorized points throughout the race. Runners must use approved electronic timing devices while running. The runner that finishes the race in the shortest amount of time is the winner.

Marathon is said to have come from a Greek soldier who ran over 22 miles from the city of Marathon to Athens, to announce a great war victory. Half marathons were first run in the second half of the 20th century. Today, they are primarily run for recreational purposes by non-competitve runners.

Shoes

Half marathon can be dangerous for some, due to the strain that distance running places on the body. Runners should check for any pre-existing medical conditions that could be aggravated by running.

To properly increase stamina, lung capacity and leg strength, runners should gradually increase their mileage over a somewhat extended training calendar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_marathon