Per 
The earliest media of runners participating in SCP-XXXX’s marathon. Notice the distortion caused by SCP-XXXX-1
Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures:
Locations of large population density are to be closely monitored on April 25th biannually for reports of SCP-XXXX in order to contain it as quickly as possible.
A perimeter one kilometer larger than the area of effect is to be maintained around appearances of SCP-XXXX. Individuals interested in SCP-XXXX or within SCP-XXXX’s maintained perimeter but outside of it’s meter area of effect are to be removed under the guise of a hazardous substance leak.
Manifestations of SCP-XXXX in areas of low population density(Footnote, less than 1000 people per square kilometer) are considered low priority containment zones. Low priority containment zones are patrolled by no fewer than ten field agents.
Manifestations of SCP-XXXX in areas of high population density(Footnotes, more than 1000 people per square kilometer) are considered high priority containment zones. MTF Epsilon-5 “Village Idiots” is to be dispatched, along with no fewer than twenty field agents.
Description:
SCP-XXXX is a marathon starting line that appears every two years on April 25th. SCP-XXXX has no apparent pattern in it’s location of manifestation, ranging from extremely isolated areas to extremely populous areas. SCP-XXXX will remain active for six days, after which the marathon will “begin” and SCP-XXXX will vanish. SCP-XXXX takes on various forms, notably reflecting technological advancements such as inflatable archways and electronic billboards which advertise the marathon.
The area of effect of SCP-XXXX is a 100 meter diameter circle centered on the start line. Electronic devices inside the area of effect often have extreme distortion, but continue to function normally otherwise.The area of effect expands by approximately one meter per “runner,” or individual affected by SCP-XXXX. This increasing expansion has the potential to result in an extreme loss of life in cases where initial containment is delayed.
Runners are aware of their actions, yet insist their greatest priority is running the marathon, often claiming that they had been training for years and that they cannot let down their nation. Runners will aggressively attempt to reach the start line before the marathon begins if they are restrained. As the start marathon becomes closer, those who are unable to reach the start line will show signs of extreme exhaustion, collapsing and expiring from cardiac arrest as it begins.
Runners allowed to gather at the marathon start point will stretch and talk to other runners about the marathon until it begins. No runner has been observed sleeping, eating, or drinking, or suffering from the negative impact of this, despite waiting up to six days for the marathon to start.
All runners are considered deceased and their bodies irretrievable once the marathon begins, with the exception of one “winner.” Individuals with knowledge of a runner often claim that they died doing what they loved or that they served their nation valiantly, but are otherwise unaffected by their disappearance.
A winner has been located three times in the history of the foundations monitoring of SCP-XXXX. Only once was the winner found alive, but died shortly after due to exhaustion. See 2018 Experiment logs below.
Appearance Log:
Year: 1942
Location: Site 15
Time Before Containment: Eight Hours
Number of Casualties: [Redacted]
Notes: First record of SCP-XXXX, it’s properties were studied and a basic outline of its effects were recorded before it vanished.
Year: 1954
Location: London, England
Time Before Containment: One Day, Eight Hours
Number of Casualties: ~35000
Notes: First reappearance recorded since 1942.
Year: 1956
Location: Attica, Greece
Time Before Containment: Two Days, Six Hours
Number of Casualties: ~200
Year: 1958
Location: Kerala, India
Time Before Containment: Five Days, Fourteen Hours
Number of Casualties: 6
Notes: Pattern established and global monitoring begins.
Year 1994
Location: Boston, United States
Time Before Containment: Seven Hours
Number of Casualties: [Redacted]
Notes: Appeared near an actual marathon. Containment delayed.
Year: 2016
Location: Paris, France
Time Before Containment: 20 Minutes
Number of Casualties: ~45000
Notes: Investigation into SCP-XXXX authorized at next manifestation in order to understand it better in order to neutralize it approved due to inability to prevent casualties. Containment procedures re-evaluated.
Year: 2018
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Time Before Containment: 25 Minutes
Number of Casualties: 9
Notes: Investigation into SCP-XXXX considered a failure. Further testing refused.
