Friday 27 September 2019 07:00
400 Runners from 53 Countries Follow in the Footsteps of Pheidippides
246 kilometers on foot, in under 36 hours.
This is the challenge that’s drawn more than 400 runners from dozens of countries to take part in the biggest sports event in the world of ultra-distance, the 37th Spartathlon. They follow in the legendary footsteps of Pheidippides, who ran with a message from Athens to Sparta during the Persian Wars.
The ultramarathon starts at 7:00 a.m., on Friday, September 27, 2019, at the foot of the Acropolis and concludes at the statue of King Leonidas in Sparta. Traversing streets and paths from Attica to the Peloponnese, runners will visit the top of Mt. Artemisio, the fields of Nemea, and the bridge over the Eurotas.
Hundreds of volunteers, doctors, physiotherapists, and other helpers will be there alongside the runners, as will the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), which is supporting the Spartathlon for yet another year, spreading the message of fair play. The Vamvakou Revival team will also be there, a few kilometers before the finish line, to cheer and support all athletes.
This year, for the first time, the ultramarathon will be broadcasted live in its entirety at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC). The race will also be livestreamed on the SNF site at www.SNF.org/live
For more information on the Spartathlon click here.
Photo credit: Sparta Photogaphy Club
