Marathon is a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States.

[3] The food writer Richard Olney grew up in Marathon.

From 1996 to 2017, every year in June, a marathon, half-marathon and 5k were held in the city.

It was USA Track and Field certified and sanctioned, allowing participants to be eligible to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.74 square miles (1.92 km2), all land.

[8] As of the census of 2020,[10] there were 230 people, 113 households, and 65 families residing in the city.

There were 138 housing units at an average density of 184.2 per square mile (71.1/km2).

The racial makup of the city was 98.01% White, 0.33% Native American, 1.66% from other races.

About 19.0% of families and 22.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 17.2% of those sixty five or over.

[13] It was a part of the Marathon Community School District until its consolidation into Laurens–Marathon on July 1, 1976.