History of the marathon -- Issues of the marathon: a review -- Marathon races across Asia -- The Hong Kong experience: 1997-2009 -- Marathon media coverage: risk or opportunity? -- Marathon running in Hong Kong - a runner’s perspective -- Elite female runners in Hong Kong -- The making of a marathon runner -- Review of medical encounters in the 2007 Hong Kong Marathon -- Case report: 28-year-old 10 km collapses before reaching finish line -- Auxiliary medical service - support and deployment -- Medical case studies from the Hong Kong Marathon -- Evaluation of the 2007 AMS sports injuries course -- Potential medical problems in marathon runners -- Sudden cardiovascular death in marathons -- Nutrition for marathon runners -- Fluid replacement and hyponatremia for athletes -- Motivation and psychological preparation for marathons -- Marathon training -- Injuries in marathon running -- Sports injuries encountered during marathon preparations -- Physiotherapy for marathon runners.