The battle of Marathon inspired the modern 26.2 mile race.
Those that cannot understand the mentality of the Greeks have a lot to lose. One of the world’s most ancient and complex cultures survived aeons of battling enemies, foreign and domestic.
With the economy being artificially suppressed by a throng of politicians and paper traders behind Manhattan cubicles, Greece is determined to survive yet another attack by the barbarians at its gates.
The Athens Classic Marathon takes place on November 13th – exactly 2,501 years after Phidippides ran the original route in full army gear, to announce that the Greeks had won over the Persians at the battle of Marathon.
The official web site of the Athens Classic Marathon announces:
“In a very difficult period for our country, SEGAS, a sports federation, decided to show to the world that Greece may be going through difficult times but does not lose the values that diachronically carry through its history and its culture!
The participation of 20,000 runners from 96 different countries, the interest of top celebrities and international media puts Greece on the spot of the world, giving to our country, global visibility and revenues exceeding 20,000,000 Euros based on last year’s data.”
While not everyone can run a marathon, a true marathoner cannot claim fame until they run the Athens Classic Marathon and its demanding stretch, which combines a variant elevation and spectacular views – both of which can make even the most seasoned marathoner lose their focus. In fact, the Athens Classic Marathon only terminates in the city of Athens and the Kallimarmaro stadium.
Visit AthensClassicMarathon.gr for more information about the Athens Classic Marathon and its historical race.
