Dice Marathon Game: Rules, Course and Odds
Dice marathon is a long race for two to six runners on a 42-square course, one square for each kilometre of the real marathon. Every turn the dice set your pace. Water stations give a boost, the dreaded wall slows everyone down near the end, and a close finish is settled by a photo finish. You need two dice, a pencil and a counter for each runner, and a race takes about fifteen minutes. Below are the rules and the exact odds.
What you need
- Two six-sided dice, or a dice roller set to two dice.
- A course of 42 squares drawn on paper, with water stations on squares 10, 20, 30 and 40, a line after square 32 marked “the wall”, and the finish after square 42.
- One counter per runner, such as coins or buttons.
- A random name picker to set a fair start order.
Who starts?
Put every runner’s name into the random name picker and draw them one by one to set the order of turns. The order does not decide the winner, because runners who finish in the same round have a photo finish, but it keeps the turns fair and quick.
How to play
- All runners start before square 1. In each round, every runner rolls once in the start order.
- Roll both dice, add them up and move by the pace chart below.
- Water stations: if you land exactly on square 10, 20, 30 or 40, you grab a drink and move 1 extra square.
- The wall: once you are on square 32 or beyond, a jog of 3, 4 or 5 no longer moves you. Your legs are tired, and you only move on a roll of 6 or more.
- Finish: the first runner past square 42 wins. If two or more runners finish in the same round, they have a photo finish: each rolls two dice, and the highest total wins.
A real marathon is 42.195 km long. The race is named after the legend of a Greek messenger who ran from the town of Marathon to Athens, and it has been part of the modern Olympic Games since the first ones in 1896. Many runners say they hit the wall somewhere after 30 km, when the body runs low on energy. Pacing, food and training cannot be copied with dice, so this is a simple home version, not an official game.
The pace chart and the chance of each roll
In the table, “Roll” is the total of the two dice, “Pace” is how many squares you move, and “Chance” is the exact probability out of the 36 ways two dice can land.
| Roll | Pace | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Cramp: 0 squares | 1 in 36 |
| 3, 4 or 5 | Jog: 1 square (0 after square 32) | 8 in 36 |
| 6, 7 or 8 | Steady: 2 squares | 16 in 36 |
| 9, 10 or 11 | Fast: 3 squares | 9 in 36 |
| 12 | Surge: 4 squares | 1 in 36 |
A steady pace of 2 squares is the most common result, because 6, 7 and 8 are the most likely totals, as explained in our guide to dice probability. Before the wall, only a cramp, 1 roll in 36, stops a runner. After the wall, 1 roll in 4 goes nowhere.
How long is a race?
In the next table, “Race length” is the number of turns one runner needs to cross the finish line, and “Chance” is the exact probability rounded to whole percent.
| Race length | Chance |
|---|---|
| 18 turns or fewer | about 10% |
| 20 turns or fewer | about 38% |
| 22 turns or fewer | about 71% |
| 25 turns or fewer | about 95% |
A runner needs about 21.4 turns on average, and 21 turns is the most common race length. The fastest possible race is 11 turns. A runner lands on each of the first three water stations about 49% of the time, but on the last one, past the wall, only about 41%. With two runners a photo finish is needed in about 12% of races, and with six runners in about 28%. These numbers are worked out exactly from the rules, not simulated.
Tips
- Number every fifth square so runners can count their moves quickly.
- Shade the squares after the wall in a different colour so nobody forgets the rule.
- For a shorter race, run a half marathon of 21 squares, with water stations on 10 and 20 and the wall after square 16.
- Hand out gold, silver and bronze medals made of paper at the end.
Classroom ideas
- Measurement: how far is 42 km? Find a town about that far from your school.
- Probability: why does the wall stop a runner 1 time in 4? Count the ways to roll 2, 3, 4 or 5.
- Data: record each runner’s number of turns and work out the class average.
- History: read about the legend of the messenger from Marathon and the first modern Olympic marathon.
Variations
- Pacemaker: one counter moves exactly 2 squares every round. Can anyone beat the pacemaker?
- Second wind: once per race, a runner may roll again after a cramp.
- Relay marathon: teams of three share the race, and each runner covers 14 squares.
- Hills: mark two hills on the course, where every move is 1 square shorter.
If you like races with dice, try a dice cycling race next, or dive into a dice swimming race.
Prefer a short sprint? Try our dice hurdles race game, ten hurdles in about 14 seconds.
FAQ
How do you play a marathon race with dice?
Roll two dice each turn and move by the pace chart: 0 on a 2, 1 on 3 to 5, 2 on 6 to 8, 3 on 9 to 11 and 4 on a 12. Landing exactly on a water station gives 1 extra square, and after square 32 a roll of 3 to 5 no longer moves you.
How many runners can play?
Two to six runners work well. With more runners, photo finishes become more common.
What is the wall?
In the game, a rule that slows runners after square 32. In real marathons, many runners describe hitting the wall late in the race when their energy runs low.
How long does a race take?
About 21.4 turns per runner on average, or about fifteen minutes for four runners.
Does the start order matter?
No. Runners who finish in the same round have a photo finish, so every runner has the same chance to win.
How long is a real marathon?
42.195 km, or about 26.2 miles.