Is the Athens marathon difficult?
It is perhaps the most difficult major marathon race: the course is uphill from the 10 km mark to the 31 km mark – the toughest uphill climb of any major marathon. The course begins in the town of Marathon, where it passes the tomb of the Athenian soldiers, and it traces a path near the coast through Nea Makri.
When was the marathon in Greece?
Battle of Marathon, (September 490 bce), in the Greco-Persian Wars, decisive battle fought on the Marathon plain of northeastern Attica in which the Athenians, in a single afternoon, repulsed the first Persian invasion of Greece.
Can anyone run the Athens Marathon?
You must be at least 18 years old to enter the Athens Marathon. There is no qualifying time. The course is open for 8 hours. For the 10k and 5k you must be at least 12 years old with parental authorization.
What was the marathon in ancient Greece?
In a nod to Greek history, the first marathon commemorated the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield near the town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C. According to legend, Pheidippides ran the approximately 25 miles to announce the defeat of the Persians to some anxious Athenians.
Is Athens Marathon Hilly?
But at the authentic Athens marathon you need to respect the distance, the heat and the hills. And it was hilly. A near constant climb ’til somewhere between the 32-35K mark and then a lot of downhill to the finish, when your legs are already beaten.
What happened at the Marathon?
The Persian army broke in panic towards their ships, and large numbers were slaughtered. The defeat at Marathon marked the end of the first Persian invasion of Greece, and the Persian force retreated to Asia….Battle of Marathon.
| Date | 10 September 490 BC (17 Metageitnion) |
|---|---|
| Location | Marathon, Greece 38°07′05″N 23°58′42″E |
What is the story behind Marathon?
The idea for the modern marathon was inspired by the legend of an ancient Greek messenger who raced from the site of Marathon to Athens, a distance of about 40 kilometers, or nearly 25 miles, with the news of an important Greek victory over an invading army of Persians in 490 B.C. After making his announcement, the …
Why is it called a marathon?
History. The event is named after the legendary 26-mile run made by a Greek soldier called Philippides (also known as Pheidippides) from the scene of the battle of Marathon to Athens, where he announced the defeat of the invading Persians.
What is the story behind marathon?
Why was the Battle of Marathon important?
The ‘Clash’ At Marathon Shaped Greece, And The West Military historian Jim Lacey says the battle of Marathon, where the vastly outnumbered Greeks defeated the Persian army, had a profound impact on Western civilization, and opened an East-West political and cultural divide that shaped the ancient and modern worlds.
Why is it called a Marathon?