SixinSixty©

Determination, fortitude, courage, and consistency

(Two Cross Country and four running marathons at 60)

© Copyright by Ken Hill (SixinSixty), All rights reserved July 27, 2008. Service and Trade Marks are pending

In 490BC Phiddipdiedes a hoplite runner, run from Marathon to Athens Greece to announce the Athenians victory over the Persians invading force. Since, then marathon races have been synonymous to this epic event.

 

 

On Oct. 31, 2010, some 102,000 runners run the epic Athens Classic Marathon to commemorate the 2500 anniversary of Phiddipdiedes historic run. In part this event is a celebration of the modern day Olympians who run the 1896 Olympics and the 2004 Olympics. The combination of Phiddipdiedes run, the ancient games of Olympia, and the modern Olympics have surely touched the heart and soul of many in the 2010 event.

 

 

 

Marathon to Athens race course

The 2010 race started in Marathon (upper right) where the modern day Olympians and Phiddipdiedes also started. As shown in red the course route follows the coast and turns towards Athens close to mid way point. The course then takes you through a pass between the two mountains and ends in the 1896 Olympic stadium in Athens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The participant medal symbolizes the stadium.

 

 

 

 

 

At the Marathon start line 12,000 runners witnessed the Olympic flame in a caldron as we waited in our waves to begin the epic run. From the start the course took us through a metropolitan area of narrow paved streets to the tomb of marathon where 195 soldiers in the battle of Marathon are honored. The runners circled the tomb and we followed the course onto Athens. After 10k of a flat course, we encountered rolling hills and at the 20km a steady climb to the 32 km mark. Along the course, the runners were will supported with water, sports drink, and sponges. Medics were also in attendance along the way.

Crowds in attendance were providing hardy “Bravo” and high fives of encouragement along the way. As I continued along the course there were runners dressed as Sparta Soldiers, goddesses, and many T- shirts with Greek symbols, phrases, and runners carrying an olive branch –myself being one. This added to the Olympian atmosphere of ancient times and excitement of the present event.

 

After the 32km mark, the course was a gentle downhill leading us into the city of Athens. The last 2km took us past the area of the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus on paved cobble stone.

 

 

 

As I approached the finish line, the 1896 Olympic Marble Panathenaikon Stadium came into view. The photo to the left from Google earth provides an overview of the entrance into the stadium.

 

 

 

 

I waved the olive branch which I carried from Marathon to complete the last 175m in the stadium. This ended the Athens Classic Marathon with a personal victory of finishing a epic marathon with thoughts of the ancient and modern day Olympics and future adventures to come.

 

 

Ancient Games in Olympia:

 

Shown here is the entrance to the Olympia stadium where ancient events took place. Entering the stadium gave me goose bumps. This site is several kilometers west of Athens.

 

 

The photo shown here is inside the stadium. Spectator seating was on both sides of the green slopes. The start line made of marble can be seen in the foreground. Marble seating for the judges can be seen at the mid point of the stadium.

 

 

 

I sprinted both lengths of the stadium where ancient games took place which gave me the feeling of being part of history.

 

 

Athens Marathon GPS file