Originally Posted by
FLvector
I agree, different creatures and not a good comparison. All my centuries have been done under 5 hrs., but with a group. Some can do them under 4 hrs, not me. Obviously at major effort. You could walk/jog 24 miles with little effort. Yes, very different and depends on your goals and effort. I think this is why the term marathon isn't often used in cycling.
Marathon is specific to the distance from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens: 26 miles, 385 yards. The messenger ran this distance to convey the news of the successful outcome of the battle to the people of Athens. It wouldn't be appropriate to apply the name to cycling. Not that someone might have a wild-assed idea at some point, but that wouldn't make it right...