Athens Marathon. The Authentic

The Athens Marathon is like no other on Earth. According to legend, it covers the same ground that the Athenian messenger Phiedippides ran when he brought news of victory from the battlefield of Marathon 2,500 years ago.

The Athens Classic Marathon is an annual marathon road race held in Athens, Greece normally in early November. The story of the Athens Marathon originates from the ancient Battle of Marathon in 490 bce, where the Athenians defeated the invading Persians.

Thi is a short reportage about this event. I spent two consecutive years (2023/2024) in Athens to watch the marathon and it was exciting to be there. The athletes come from all over the world, often with their families, and you witness some very intense emotional moments, amid fatigue and happiness, even just for having participated. Everything is very intense and there is a strong sense of participation and unity.

The marathon course is based on the myth from which the race gained its name: Pheidippides, a messenger in Ancient Greece ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greeks’ victory over the Persians. Legend tells of the messenger Pheidippides, who ran from the battlefield to Athens to announce the victory, exclaiming "We have won!" before collapsing and dying from exhaustion. This legendary run inspired the modern marathon race, which was introduced at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896 to honor this feat of endurance. The Athens Marathon is "The Authentic Marathon" as it follows the original route from the plains of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.