Kilometres and miles

[slowmover]

Morning all, I was just wondering if anyone knew why we use two unit of measurements when we talk about running? 

5k

10k

Half (13.1 miles) 

Marathon (26.2 miles) 

Is there a reason we don't do it all in kilometres or all in miles? I prefer miles personally and would like them to be 3.1,  6.2, 13.1, 26.2

Take care xx

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

I have no idea, but I switched to miles a while ago but it can get fiddly!!!

[Zev1963]

Marathon and Half Marathon's are described in whatever units you happen to prefer. Naturally here in France it would be described as being 42km.

Maybe we should use the ancient Greek units of length for the marathon

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10]

The marathon distance is based on an actual event, I tend to think of it in KMs. The others? Not sure, but maybe because the Olympics etc are in metric? I don't really know...a 10 mile race exists I think...

[Hidden]

Racing distances are all in metric meters/kilometers and have been for quite a while . I use km's on runkeeper  

[John_W Graduate10]

I guess we just copy what the IAAF does for all it's athletics events, including the Olympics.  The only distance expressed in Imperial units is the Marathon - all else is in metric.  I think this was standardised in the 1950 or 60s.

Even the 1 mile isn't an Olympic distance anymore .