Setting the Scene

It is London 1908, and the huge crowds will not be seen again until London 2012. But it has been a controversial and often unhappy Olympics, riven by American-British tensions.

The Marathon's Rise

The marathon has promised to rise above the ill-feeling. It has taken on a life all of its own, and been hyped as the greatest long-distance race in the history of the world.

The Unfolding Drama

And so it proves, as its climax goes beyond the hype, introducing quite unimaginable drama. and yet greater controversy.