The origins of marathon culture in Belgrade trace back to 2 May 1910, when "Velika pešačka utakmica" (eng.

[3] The track length of the 1989 marathon was 46.7 km (29.0 mi), with the start and finish being in front of the Federal Parliament Building.

The 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia did not prevent the marathon from taking place that year, and on April 17 the race was held as a metered group run.

The runners from NATO countries were Seine Brenson from the US, and Michael Turzynski and Heinz Lorber from Germany.

Also involved were the executive bodies of city government, the Serbian Armed Forces, the Police of Serbia, and a number of sponsors.