Athens Classic Marathon 2014

Nov 09, 2014 — Nov 09, 2014 • Category: Events

The 32nd Athens Classic Marathon is taking place on November 9th 2014 and more than 35,000 athletes are expected to take place this year, apart from the press and the thousands of spectactors who will also be there. This year, the organizing committee decided to change the name of the Marathon from Classic to Authentic, so that there is no conflict with other classic marathons that take place in various places in the world.
The Marathon Race
The Athens Authentic Marathon includes the original Marathon Race of 42 km, a 10km race and a shorter 5km race for younger participants. The Marathon race starts at 9 am from the Marathon Start Venue in the town of Marathon, eastern Attica. The route is very scenic as it passes through beautiful nature and historical sights, such as the Marathon Tomb, the ancient tomb of the soldiers who got killed in the ancient battle of Marathon. The time limit ends at 17:30 pm for the Marathon runners.
The other races
The 10 km race starts from Zappeion Megaro, while the 5 km race starts from Amalias Avenue and they both last for 1 hour and half. All races finish at the wonderful Panathenaic Stadium, also known as Kallimarmaro. For the Marathon and the 10 km race, participants must be at least 18 years old, whereas for the 5 km race the minimum age is 12 years old. There is also a volunteering program for people who want to help organizing the races.
Historical background
The Athens Authentic Marathon, dedicated to the memory of the Greek politician and Balkan Champion Gregoris Lambrakis, is organized by the Hellenic Athletic Federation and is sponsored by the leading gaming operator in Greece, OPAP. This is one of the most significant sport and cultural events, as it has a great historical background. This Marathon Race honours the victory of the ancient Greeks against the Persians in the Marathon Battle (490BC) and the foot soldier, Pheidippides, who ran all the way to Athens to announce the good news and died shortly after he arrived in the city center.
For more info and registration: Athens Authentic Marathon