In Part Two of a two-part series on the Athens Marathon, Emily and Cam talk about what it’s like to participate in the Athens Marathon today. They discuss the first marathon race at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens; the development of the marathon as a marquee sporting event; and the route of the contemporary Athens marathon.

Links:

Part I of our photo essay on the Athens Marathon;

Part II of our phot essay on the Athens Marathon;

A report in the Greek Times about the 73-year-old Cretan runner, Idomeneas Avramakis.

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In Part One of a two-part series on the Athens Marathon, Emily and Cam dive into ancient Greek legend and history as they explore the origins of the modern marathon race. They discuss the well-known story of the messenger who is said to have run from Marathon to Athens with news of the Athenian victory over the Persians at Marathon in 490 BCE; the context of the Battle of Marathon itself; and the accomplishments of the Athenians, who were forced to race against the clock in order to return to their city and defend it from another Persian attack.