Marathon had already been the site of informal marathons for three years -- with runners from El Paso, Austin, Washington state, Oregon and Marathon -- when Susan Combs, Texas Agriculture Commissioner and local ranch owner, started the Marathon2Marathon in 2003. Unlike the local annual races, which had been run along the hilly, winding southern trek of U.S. 385 from Spring Creek Ranch north into town, Commissioner Combs and Runtex director Paul Carrozza of Austin decided to move the race site for the first Marathon2Marathon to U.S. 90, with contestants running east from the outskirts of Alpine into Marathon. And thus it has remained, with interest in the event growing bigger each year. The M2M is a sanctioned and certified race. Meaning it is a Boston qualifying race. Responsibility for the race has fallen on Marsha Roberts of the local Trans Pecos Banks, and the Marathon Chamber of Commerce. It still maintains its small-town, West Texas-friendly atmosphere, and has become the focus of M2M weekend festivities in Marathon. A street festival with music and fun during the day, along with a party and award ceremony in the evening. Giving visitors time to shop in local shops and visit the many art galleries. Local groups, such as the Friends of Post Park, the Friends of the Library and many businesses sign up volunteers to host the water stops, offering water or Gatorade to runners along the route. There is a prize for the best water stop. Local law enforcement is notified so that one lane of the highway is cleared and cars or trucks that drive by on the other side are cautioned to go slow. It seems fitting that Marathon, established in 1882 and given its name by seafaring Capt. Albion Shepard, who said the desert area surrounded by mountains reminded him of Marathon in Greece, continues to host an annual event recalling that famous run from the village of Marathon northeast of Athens to notify the city that a Persian army had been defeated there in 490 BC.