ATHENS – The Authentic Marathon is back, after an absence of one year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, on Sunday (14/11) it will start again at the historic starting point in the town of Marathon (09:00) for the 38th Race.

A total of 9,800 runners divided into two groups with different starting hours set 45 minutes apart will run the 42,195 metres of the original route, which was run by the soldier Eucles in 490 BC to carry the news of the Athenians’ victory in the Battle of Marathon to Athens, in an effort that sacrificed his life. Each group will be divided into eight “blocks” to avoid overcrowding as a precautionary measure against the spread of Covid-19.

A time limit of seven hours has been set for the completion of the Race and the finish of the 38th Authentic Marathon will take place at the Panathinaiko Stadium, where the runners will cover the last 170 metres of the route.

Also planned on Sunday are the 5,000-metre races (at 08:00 and 09:00) with 10,000 runners, while the 10,000-metre races are planned the previous day (at 17:00 and 18:00), with the participation of 8,000 runners. Also on Saturday, the opening ceremony is to be held at the archaeological site of Marathon (12:30).

Runners from 83 countries

A total of 27,800 runners from 83 countries and 100 different nationalities will take part in the 5,000-metre, 10,000-metre and Marathon races, with a 75 pct dominance of male runners in all three races. In the Marathon, the percentage of men reaches 82 pct against 18 pct for women, in the 10,000 metres, the percentages are 76 pct and 34 pct for men and women, respectively, while in the 5,000 metres, 52 pct are women and 48 pct are men. Of the runners, 81 pct are Greeks, 19 pct foreigners, 82 pct live in Greece and 18 pct come from abroad.