Thursday, November 16, 2006

Running a Marathon

When I went to Catholic grade school, our big fundraiser was the marathon for non-public schools, where you had to get pledges and walk or run a certain course every year. In the late 1970s-early 1980s, the prize for reaching certain levels of pledges (which I never did, because even as a kid I hated asking people for money) was Marathon candy bars.

Man, we loved those things. They were long, and stretchy, and caramely, and the braid and the extra length was cool. This page remembers one of their commercials, featuring Patrick Wayne as Marathon John.

Am I the only one who thinks that if M&M Mars brought this back, just even for a limited time, with a retro ad campaign and everything, it would do great guns with all us nostalgic types? Everyone says the Cadbury Curly Wurly is the same, but in looks only, not in taste.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved the Marathon bar! I would absolutely support a comeback, even in a smaller size. The Curly Wurly is of course the closest candy relative to it, but it is not the same.

lightbulb oven said...

I thought I was the only one who remembered the marathon bar!

If they brought it back, I would buy them by the case so I would be covered when they took it away again.

Anonymous said...

Those were so great because they seemed so much bigger than regular candy bars. When I was a kid and my mom would let me pick out a candy bar at the store, I'd often pick a Marathon bar; not because I even really liked them, but because it seemed like I was getting away with something taking home a candy bar that big!

Anonymous said...

Marathon was my favorite too. I love the chocolate/caramel combination. Mmmmm.

Anonymous said...

I don't think I was aware that the Marathon bar wasn't around anymore! I loved that, and the Chocolicious bar. I'm guessing that isn't around either, huh? How sad.

Anonymous said...

I. LOVED. THIS. CANDY. BAR.

Seriously, if they brought this and Tangy Taffy back, I would empty my savings account to stock up on both. Oh my God, a Marathon bar out of the fridge on a summer day, so brittle and then chewy and then gooey as it warmed up. Unbelievable.

Obviously, you've touched a nerve here. :-)

Wayne said...

Marathon bars were definitly the candy of our childhood. But wasnt the candy bar longer than 8 inches when it first cam out? I thought I remember being disappointed when they reduced the size. And does anyone remeber the cereal FREAKIES that gave you free refrigerator magnets as the prize?