Plan Your Race - The Authentic Athens Marathon

Last updated on November 22nd, 2022 at 12:57 pm

One of the things I love to do when traveling is find ways to experience a new place on a deeper level. I want to explore an area, learn from the locals, eat all the food, and see all the sights. I also like to find meaningful activities that help me connect to that place. The Authentic Athens Marathon provides a wonderful opportunity (excuse) for visitors to visit Greece. In addition, it is also a chance to participate in the athletic culture which has fostered here for centuries.

The Marathon Legend and History

The route follows in the footsteps of a heroic Ancient Greek messenger who ran from Marathon to Athens. The legend states that a great battle was fought between the Greeks and the Persians in Marathon. Meanwhile, many nervous Athenians were waiting to hear the outcome of the battle. After the great Greek victory, this messenger ran all the way to Athens to share the great news. Sadly, immediately after delivering the good news, he fell down; dead from exhaustion.

From this story, the legend of the marathon was born. To commemorate his dramatic run, the distance of the 1896 Olympic marathon was set at 40 kilometers. Back in 1908 the Olympic Games in London, the course was extended. Allegedly, the change was made in order to to accommodate the British royal family. From that point on, the marathon has remained at that length: 42 km or 26.2 miles.

Disclaimers:

1. I am NOT a medical or physical training advisor. The purpose of this post is to share my experience running in the Athens Marathon. In addition, I hope to inform potential participants of what they might expect from their experience. You should always consult your doctor before deciding to begin any new workout routine. Make sure that you are someone who meets the criteria for training for a marathon BEFORE signing up!

2. Be sure to check the most recent regulations for entry in Greece as well as any activities you want to participate in before booking any part of your journey!

3. Please note that I participated in the 2021 Athens Marathon. Of course this took place during a pandemic. There may be some changes to how the race is set up in future years.

Why You Should Run The Authentic Athens Marathon

**Panathenaic Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece**

Running a marathon is not for everyone, but it is something that is on many people’s bucket lists. It requires a very purposeful and devoted kind of training. One must be willing to commit mentally, physically, and emotionally to hours upon hours of running each week. And this is before even making the decision to submit the registration form. It is certainly not a decision to be made lightly. A common mistake amongst potential participants is underestimating the amount of time, physical effort, and mental energy it takes to train for and run a marathon.

For runners around the world, the Athens marathon carries a certain level of distinction to it. It is the original, authentic marathon. And, now that I have run it, I can say that it was a very emotional experience for myself. When we arrived at Marathon, it looks like a little, scrawny town in the middle of nowhere. Even the stadium is nothing to write home about. But, looks can be deceiving because this little place is where the epic legend began.

What I loved Most About Running this Marathon

One of the things that was most meaningful to me was how much energy the race onlookers and race workers had despite the pandemic. People of all ages and walks of life crowded along the sidelines. Grandmas and grandpas had their chairs set up. Parents were holding small children who waved us past. Older children were handing out tiny olive branches to runners as they passed by. Passing through the towns and villages we were met with music blaring, people cheering, workers handing out various beverages and snacks. I even passed Greek bands and a group of Greek dancers amid the thousands of people cheering us on.

I was amazed that many of the race workers even took time to read my race bib and cheer me on by name. “Bravo Christine!” or “Good job Christine!” were called out to me on more than one occasion. I didn’t have anyone I personally knew along the route to cheer me on, but it felt like I was surrounded by friends and family of a different kind. It touched me very deeply, especially at the toughest moments of the race.

In the end, what moved me the most was a woman who cheered me on in the last mile. It was the toughest mile. It was absolutely terrible. I was completely depleted of everything at that point. Also, my right knee was hurting from the downhills, so it was getting difficult to maintain any kind of reasonable speed. I kept trying to push through, but it was hard. And then this lady, a complete stranger in the crowd, looked right at me and pointed. She shouted “Bravo! Bravo bella!!” She clapped her hands wildly and said more things in a language I couldn’t understand. But, in that moment, I knew she was telling me to keep going. “Don’t give up. You’re almost to the end.” And, I was almost to the end. I crossed the finish line fighting back tears. It was an emotional ending to the race. I had nothing left to give, but I had made it.

Step One – Consider the Course

Elevation Gain

Considering the race course is important when you are training. The elevation map is located at the bottom of the photo above. Marathon is located on the right side of the map and Athens on the left. As you can see, the mass majority of race course is a steady rolling ascent. In the beginning, it’s not so bad, but as the race continues, it gets harder and harder to maintain stamina.

I heard many people talking about the infamous “mile 19” hill before the race even started. (See the 30km marking on the map) On a normal day, it’s not so bad. But, after you’ve already been running for grueling mile after mile on a less than easy course, it can be quite the challenge to get up. I followed the advice of a fellow runner who had run the race previously and said: “Don’t try to push yourself up it. You have to walk that hill.” To be honest, I don’t think I could have pushed myself up it even if I had tried. After that point, it’s pretty much downhill. But, as I mentioned above, for me that was rough on my knees at the end and I really wasn’t able to pick up my momentum again.

Pit Stops

From Marathon, we ran through the Greek countryside and through many towns. Even with the pandemic, men, women, children, and the elderly alike had claimed their places along the route to help us on our way to victory. Every 2.5 km or so, we had opportunities for water, gels, bananas, granola bars, sports drinks, bananas and more. There were also port-a-potties available throughout the course of the race. Above, you can see the photo I took at the Expo of the course map. It shows the pit stops and what was available at each of them.

Step Two – Register

After deciding to run in the race, registration is the easiest step of your journey! There are a couple registration options available depending on if you are living in the European Union (this can be as a citizen or non-citizen) or if you are living outside of the European Union.

EU Citizens and Residents

As I am currently living inside the EU, I chose the option to register as an EU resident. The two options available to me were the “Advanced Registration” and the “Full Registration”. The biggest difference between these is that the “Full Registration” includes a sport bag and 50% discount in the entrance fee at the Acropolis Museum.

Non-EU Citizens and Residents

The only registration option is the “Full Registration”.

Register

Please note that there are more events aside from just the marathon. There is also a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Power Walking Marathon. You can register for any of these events on the Athens Marathon, the Authentic official website.

Step Three – Commit to a training program

For myself, I have been running regularly for nearly 15 years. I had participated in dozens of races including 5 half marathons and 2 marathons prior to my registration for this race. So, I had a pretty good idea of what I had been able to achieve in the past. I looked over lots of training programs before finding one that fit my running schedule, current abilities, and goals best.

If you’re new to racing or running a marathon, it would be best to speak with your doctor to help you find a program. A few things you will want to consider when choosing a training program: your current weekly milage, your current average pace, your work/family life balance, programs with built-in flexibility, any old injuries you need to be aware of, and your Athens goal time. Also, it is important to be realistic with your expectations.

Step Four – Find a Place to Stay

Athens is a HUGE city and choosing the best location was a very important decision for me. Having had experience running marathons in the past, I knew that I wanted to be as close to the race finish as possible. Since, the Athens Marathon ends at the Panathenaic Stadium, I chose to look for an apartment in that area.

On AirBnB I found this wonderful gem of a place in Mets for just under $70/night. It was fantastic and had two separate bedrooms with queen sized beds. So, it’s a great place if you are traveling with a family, or if you are planning to split with other runners. If this place is not available, I suggest looking for other options in the Mets, Kalimarmaro areas.

Step Five – Getting to Athens

This will all depend on where you are coming from. Most people reading this blog will be flying to the Athens International Airport. From here, you have a couple of options for getting to Athens city center: public transport, taxi, and renting a car.

Taxi

This is the most expensive, but probably the most convenient way to get from the Athens International Airport to downtown Athens. They can take you straight to your hotel and you don’t have to try and navigate the public transport or lug your suitcases up and down stairs. A ride from the airport to downtown will take about 40 minutes.

Race Specific Information: I almost NEVER take taxis anywhere, but we did in Athens because we were in a rush to pick up our race packets and get to a food tour I had booked. For your reference, the taxi from the airport to the packet pickup location (Faliro Indoor Hall and Exhibition Centre of Athens) was 42 euros and took us about 55 minutes.

**Please note that there is a flat rate taxi fee to the downtown Athens area. You can find the most up to date fares on the Athens International Airport Website.

***I would like to add that taxis can be tricky not just in Athens, but in large cities all over the world. There are many scams that taxi drivers will use and you can read about them here if you would like to inform yourself of a few of them.

Athens Airport Subway

This is the best choice if you are wanting to take public transportation. The entrance to the Metro is about a 5 minute walk from the terminal. Here, you will find frequent trains that will take you directly to Syntagma Square. Depending on where your accommodations are located, you will need to walk or navigate change in public transit from this point. Google maps is very useful for figuring this out. A ride on the Metro Line 3 from the Airport to the final stop Syntagma Square will take about 40 minutes.

***Please note that there is an option for single way tickets and also the option to buy tickets with a return. If you decide to buy the ticket with the return, you will receive a slight discount.

For more information on pricing, times, and more, please click here.

Bus

The bus is the cheapest, but also the slowest option on this list. The bus stop is located at the Arrivals Level, between Exits 4 and 5. Depending on where your accommodations are located, you will need to walk or navigate change in public transit from this point. Once again, Google maps is very useful for figuring this out. A ride on the X95 Bus from the Airport to the final stop Syntagma Square will take about 60 minutes.

For more information on pricing, times, and more, please click here.

Looking for Things to do While You’re in Athens?

Check out some of my other posts highlighting great things to do in this fantastic country!
5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Athens
Two Amazing Day Trip Opportunities From Athens, Greece
Ultimate Beach Guide for the Greek Island of Milos

Step Six – Race Packet Pickup and Expo

You will receive an email shortly before the race with the specifics for how to obtain your race packet and shirt. For you reference, pickup was made available to us starting on the Wednesday before the race. The hours were Wed, Thurs, and Fri from 10am – 8pm and Sat from 10am-6pm. Please note that the location and times might change for future races. Always check your email for the most up to date information!

The expo was one of the largest I’ve seen, but unfortunately we really didn’t have time to linger. It was a little bit frustrating that the layout forced us to walk through the entire thing since we were in a little bit of a rush and had our suitcases with us. The packets were located at the entrance on the first floor and the shirt pickup was located at the end on the second floor. But, we made it through, checked into the AirBnb, and made it to our food tour on time. 😀

Step Seven – Athens Authentic Marathon Race Day

Christine with Hermes Statue at stadium in Marathon

Stadium in Marathon, Greece - Starting Point of the Athens Marathon

Getting to the Starting Point

The race is a one way race which starts in Marathon, Greece and ends in Athens, Greece. The cost of entry includes a shuttle to the starting line. The shuttle buses had pickup locations at convenient locations all throughout the city. We got on our shuttle at Syntagma Square because it was the closest location for us. This process was super smooth and very well organized. The bus ride was about an hour long. Once we arrived, there where to make a bag drop (if you want anything to be waiting for you at the end of the race) and use the bathroom.

Bathrooms at the Starting Point

As for the bathroom situation, I noticed that most people were lining up at the port-a-potties at the entrance of the stadium. The real secret is to go to the changing rooms in the back of the stadium where there is are two large sections with rows of bathrooms. Normally, I believe one side is for women and one side is for men, but no one seemed to care on race day. While these bathrooms were still not the best public restrooms, they were certainly a step up from a port-a-potty and they actually had soap and water to wash your hands.

Finding Your Starting Block

Due to the pandemic, the runners were separated into two groups: Marathon 1 and Marathon 2. This was told indicated to us in the email correspondence as well as marked on our bibs. Our bibs were also marked with a number indicating which “block” we were in. There were people holding signs to indicate the various “block” sections and it was easy to find where I needed to be.

From there, the course was well marked and it was easy to know where we were supposed to go. All you have to do is run, maybe walk a little, and keep running some more until the end!

Step 6 – The Athens Marathon Epic Finale

Christine with the Spirit of Hermes Statue at Marathon Stadium

I have now run in 3 marathons to date and this one was by far the most emotional. There is nothing that can compare to running into the Panathenaic Stadium. I am a far cry from an Olympic athlete, but on this day, at the end of this race, I felt like one. Because, in a small way, I taken part in the great athletic tradition that has existed in Greece for centuries. And, in the end, that was worth all the hours of training, the pain and frustration, and emotional journey this race took me on.

In Conclusion

I hope that this post has inspired you to consider running in the Athens Marathon! Even if you don’t run in the full marathon, maybe you might consider one of the shorter races.

Good Luck and Happy Travels,
<3 Christine