Reason the stamp was issued: The Marathon stamp was issued to commemorate the 100th running of the Boston Marathon, but it honors the history of all marathons not just the annual event held in Boston.
About the stamp design: Illustrator, Michael Bartalos, was the talent behind the stamp design. It shows a stylized image of a male runner, with a female runner in the background. The scenery shows both a cityscape and a country landscape. The wings on the feet of the male runner are a tribute to Hermes, the Greek messenger-god, and the Greek beginnings of the marathon.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue ceremony for the Marathon stamp was held in Copley Square in Boston. This is the site of the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The two main speakers were past marathon winners Bill Rodgers and Joan Benoit Samuelson. Also present at the ceremony was John Kelly, who had one the Boston Marathon in 1935 and 1945.