Athens Authentic Marathon

The marathon race has its origins in the epic Battle of Marathon, which took place in 490 BC. At the battle’s conclusion, Pheidippides, the heroic soldier and messenger, is said to have run 42,195 metres non-stop from the battlefield to Athens with news of the victory. Upon his arrival, he declared his famous last words, “We won”, and promptly died. The legend showcases the greatness of human will and led to the creation of an event like no other, one that inspires athletes the world over to this day.

The concept of the marathon race as a sporting event is credited to the French philologist Michel Bréal, a friend of the French educator and historian who founded the International Olympic Committee and became the father of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin.

Bréal’s suggestion was to organize a race where athletes would cover the same distance as the brave Pheidippides during the revival of the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens. So began the modern marathon race, on March 10th 1896, in the qualifying races that determined which six athletes would represent Greece in the first modern Olympic Games.

Athens Marathon. The authentic

Every year, on the second Sunday of November, Athens – the birthplace of the marathon race –becomes the centre of international attention and welcomes runners of all ages from all over the world, who wish to participate in its annual authentic Marathon.

The race starts at the Tomb of Marathon and finishes at the Panathenaic Stadium, also known as the Kallimarmaro, in downtown Athens. In addition to the traditional marathon runners, thousands of athletes compete in 5 and 10-kilometre races, as well as in children’s races and the Special Olympics race.

2014 was a landmark year for the Athens Marathon since the organisers renamed the event to “Athens Marathon. The Authentic.” The purpose of this change was to highlight the uniqueness of the historical route and the historical background of the race. In addition, the logo of the event changed, creatively reflecting the notion of the new name.

The Athens Authentic Marathon is an epic athletic event that unites past with present, reminding us of the timeless values that bring together people and nations throughout the world!