A record number of more than 51,000 runners will compete in various running events on Sunday when the 35. Athens Marathon 2017 is taking place. 18,500 of registered participants will run the classic marathon distance of 42,195 meters, from Marathon to Athens.
In addition to the classic marathon race, there will be shorter loops between Syntagma Square and Panathinaiko Stadium. The loops are 3km, 5km and 10 km.
The Athens Marathon traces the route of the 1896 Olympic course, starting in Marathon on the eastern coast of Attica, site of the Battle of Marathon of 490 B.C.E., and ending at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.
The name Marathon comes from the legend of Philippides or Pheidippides, the Greek messenger. The legend states that he was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon (in which he had just fought), which took place in August or September, 490 BC. It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the assembly, exclaiming νενικήκαμεν (nenikēkamen, “we have won!”), before collapsing and dying.
The official ceremony for the 35. Marathon takes place today, Saturday, at 12:30 noon time. The Marathon Flame is to be lit in the Marathon Monument in the heart of Marathon archaeological site, where the dead of the famous Marathon Battle against the Persians took place in 490 B.C.
Marathon Flame Lighting Ceremony (Marathon Tomb) – Flame Torch Relay from the Marathon Tomb to the Marathon Start Venue
2.30–13.15: Opening Ceremony – Marathon Flame Lighting Ceremony (Marathon Tomb) – Flame Torch Relay from the Marathon Tomb to the Marathon Start Venue
13.50–14.00: Lighting of Marathon Flame Cauldron
Sunday program
SUNDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 2017
Athens City Center – Amalias Ave. (at National Gardens Entrance)
07.45-09.05: 5km Road Race WIND – Morning
- Starts from Vas. Amalias Ave. in front of Bodosakis Megaron
- Finishes inside the Panathenaic Stadium
- Estimated Finish Time of the 1st Runner: 08.00
08.35-10.25: 10km Road Race WIND
- Starts from Vas. Amalias Ave. in front of Bodosakis Megaron
- Finishes inside the Panathenaic Stadium
- Estimated Finish Time of the 1st Runner: 09.06
Marathon Town – Marathon Start Venue
09.00-17.30: Marathon Race & Power Walking (42.195m on the Authentic Route)
- Starts from the Historic Marathon Start Venue (Marathon Stadium)
- Finishes inside the Panathenaic Stadium
- Estimated Finish Time of the 1st Runner – Male: 11.09 – 11.12 / 1st Runner – Female: 11.38 – 11.43
Municipalities along the Marathon Course
09.15-10.30: Kids’ Fun Run NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE – along the Marathon Course
- Races finish 15’ before the 1st Marathon runner arrives at each Municipality
Athens City Center – Vas. Sofias Ave. (outside the Parliament)
08.50-09.05: Special Olympics Hellas Fun Run (1200m)
- Starts from Vas. Sofias Ave. outside Greek Parliament
- Finishes inside the Panathenaic Stadium
- Estimated Finish Time of the 1st Runners: 08.56
10.25-10.45: Kids’ Fun Run NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE (1200m)
- Starts from Vas. Sofias Ave. outside Greek Parliament
- Finishes inside the Panathenaic Stadium
- Estimated Finish Time of the 1st Runners: 10.29
10.35-11.05: 3km Road Race ERGO
- Starts from Vas. Amalias Ave. in front of Ippokratio Hospital
- Finishes inside the Panathenaic Stadium
- Estimated Finish Time of the 1st Runner: 10.45
- more program check with official website – see below
Volunteers
More than 3,200 volunteers will be next to the runners of the 2017 Athens Marathon, in order to be of their assistance and encourage them. It should be noted that we already have 600 volunteers more than last year, while starting from this year, volunteers are separated into two different shifts in order to increase the level of service.
Among this enormous number of volunteers, one may find 20 persons that we all need to remember and who are travelling from abroad just to serve as volunteers of the 2017 Athens Marathon and take part in this fantastic event.
Reading the statistics of the Athens Marathon Volunteers program, more than 40% of the registered volunteers is attending the event for the first time. Another interesting element of this report is the fact that 2/3 of the registered volunteers are female and only 1/3 of them male.
More on Marathon Program at Athens Marathon official website
Attention: the main road from Marathon to Athens but also other main roads in the city of Athens will be closed to traffic. Streets in downtown Athens already were closed Friday midnight, the actions will continue until Saturday afternoon.
More on Marathon races here.
