▁courses ▁between ▁ 4 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁metres , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁open - road ▁compet itions ▁where ▁starting ▁and ▁finishing ▁lines ▁do ▁not ▁co inci de . ▁This ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁feature ▁of ▁out door ▁mar ath ons . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁mar athon ▁compet itions ▁may ▁be ▁held ▁on ▁natural ▁ice ▁on ▁can als , ▁and ▁bodies ▁of ▁water ▁such ▁as ▁la kes ▁and ▁rivers , ▁but ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁held ▁on ▁artificial ly ▁fro zen ▁ 4 0 0   m ▁tracks , ▁with ▁sk aters ▁cir cling ▁the ▁track ▁ 1 0 0 ▁times , ▁for ▁example . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁The ▁roots ▁of ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁date ▁back ▁over ▁a ▁mill en ni um ▁to ▁Sc and in avia , ▁Northern ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁where ▁the ▁n atives ▁added ▁b ones ▁to ▁their ▁sho es ▁and ▁used ▁them ▁to ▁travel ▁on ▁fro zen ▁rivers , ▁can als ▁and ▁la kes . ▁In ▁contrast ▁to ▁what ▁people ▁think , ▁ice ▁sk ating ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁an ▁activity ▁of ▁joy ▁and ▁sports ▁and ▁not ▁a ▁matter ▁of ▁transport . ▁For ▁example , ▁winter s ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁have ▁never ▁been ▁stable ▁and ▁cold ▁enough ▁to ▁make ▁ice ▁sk ating ▁a ▁way ▁of ▁trav elling ▁or ▁a ▁mode ▁of ▁transport . ▁This ▁has ▁already ▁been ▁described ▁in ▁ 1 1 9 4 ▁by ▁William ▁Fitz ste phen , ▁who ▁described ▁a ▁sport ▁in ▁London . ▁ ▁Later , ▁in ▁Norway ,