Marathon Man: The 25000 year Anniversary of the First Run

Here’s a little sliver of history for you: Two Frenchmen, philologist Michel Bréal and historian, Pierre de Coubertin, were discussing de Coubertin’s upcoming project, something he was calling the “Modern Olympic Games”  and was set to take place in Athens in 1896. Bréal suggested as a possible event the recreation of the legendary run made by the Ancient Greek warrior, Pheidippides,(Fee-the-’PEE-thees) who after an against-all-odds victory against the Persian army, ran non-stop from the battleground of MARATHON approximately twenty-five miles to the city of Athens and shouted his dying words to the people, “Rejoice, we conquer!”

That was one very long sentence to tell you that Athens is home to the original Marathon run, both legendary and official.  The upcoming Athens Classic Marathon marks the 2500th anniversary of that epic event; it is not only symbolically significant to runners around the world, but also considered physically demanding as the first sixteen miles are all uphill. The Marathon component of the race has thereby been full since March, but for those who wish to come and tread part of the original track, the 10k and 5K races are still open for participation. Entering the race comes along with a package including a medal, t-shirt, passes for free public transportation and discounts to the Acropolis and New Acropolis Museum. The race stops and finishes at the Panathenaic Stadium, site of the victory lap of the 1896 and 2004 Olympic Marathon races.

1896 Marathon Run, wiki creative commons

The race is set for October 31st. If you want to cheer on, or vicariously run the original path through watching the racers, a good viewing place would be near the Hilton Hotel, where the first Olympic champion in the Marathon event,  Spiridon “Spiros” Louis, blew past the competition and kept alive the legend of the quick-footed Greek hero. The famous stacked-glass sculpture of the “Running Man” commemorates the finish line.

Finisher of 2005 Race (img courtesy of Athens Classic Marathon)

For more information, check the NileGuide Athens Events page or the Athens Classic Marathon website.