Marathon to Athens

The town of Marathon is synonymous with the road race referred to as marathon. Each year a Marathon to Athens road race takes place beginning here. Starting in Marathon it follows a southwest route parallel to the coast of Petalioi Gulf with a slight detour around the “Tumulus of the Marathon Warriors” before taking a west and then northwest direction into Athens ending in the Panathenaic Stadium. This is the route that I will be following on this journey completing the full marathon distance of 26.2mi (42.195km).

Marathon is a town in Attica, Greece largely known for its historic victory in 490BC when greatly outnumbered Athenians crushed the Persian army. This is also where the legend of Pheidippides’ run to Athens was also born. The story told is that Pheidippides was a hemerodrome, an Athenian day-courier who would run from location to location to deliver messages. He was sent from Athens to Sparta to request help, having to run a 300mi (480km) round-trip. Upon his return he ran from Athens to Marathon 24.85mi (40km) and came back to announce the victory in Marathon before collapsing from exhaustion and dying.

No one knows with certainty how much of Pheidippides’ story is real or if it was muddled with other events and subsequently interpreted a little differently when the story was transcribed. No matter though, it seemed to be enough of a reason to commemorate Pheidippides with a marathon distance race at the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. Since Greece was the birthplace of the Ancient Olympic Games it seemed appropriate that it should be host to the first modern Olympics. 

The original Olympic Games were held in Olympia in Ancient Greece from around 776BC to 393AD. They were held in honour of Zeus, a mythological god in the ancient Greek religion and the ruler of the gods on Mount Olympus. The very first foot race was a 192m sprint called Stadion and it was the only event held at the Olympics for the first 13 games. The foot race expanded to double the length known as Diaulos at the 14th games. The Dolichos (long race) was added in the 15th games that equalled approximately 3mi (4.8km) in length, although it is debated since there are different accounts of the number of laps or lengths required. At most, the race may have been up to 5.6mi (9km) long. 

The route begins outside the Marathon Stadium. Whilst large and barren I could imagine this on race day filled with professional athletes and amateur runners vying for their position at the start line. Runners would be abuzz with excitement and nerves, checking their sport watches for GPS connection, straightening their gear, ensuring their race bib is firmly attached, stretching, warming-up and mentally readying themselves for a gruelling 26mi (42km) race day. 

Starting my journey, the route sloped away from the Start Area for the next 200m and entered the main road. Travelling alongside farmland the road gently ambles itself downhill for the next 2.6mi (4km) where I turn left to make my way towards Soros, the tumulus where the ancient Athenians were buried. 

It may be a bit too soon for a meal but if I find somewhere to pick up some sweets, I’ll be sure to be looking for the delectable and syrupy baklava. It is a super sweet dessert made up of filo pastry, tightly packed ground nuts mixed with butter and sugar that have been soaked in honey syrup. I’m sure to have some sticky fingers and perhaps a little syrup dripping down my hand but for the indulgence it’ll be worth it.