Athens Marathon

(Image source：Natalia Dimitris X，Flickr)

The Athens Classic (Authentic) Marathon is an annual marathon road race held in Athens, normally in early November. The marathon course is based on the legend from which the race gained its name: Pheidippides, a messenger in Ancient Greece, ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greeks' victory over the Persians. The provenance of the competitive race is traced back to the Marathon race at the 1896 Olympics. The Athens Classic Marathon began in 1972 as a joint venture between the Greek tourist board and athletics association. The race came under the auspices of the current organizers and SEGAS in 1983 and has since become a major race, being awarded Gold Label Road Race status by the IAAF.

Website: www.athensauthentic.com