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Athens Marathon (Greece) Runner Comments
Back to Athens Marathon (Greece) Information & Reviews
Course 4.2 
Organization 4.3 
Spectators 3.7
Number of comments: 140 [displaying comments 31 to 41]
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W. W. from Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
(11/20/2012)
"That's Marathon About" (about: 2012)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Athens Marathon (Greece)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This has been my 10th Marathon. Athens Marathon is the best by far in comparing with other Marathons I have run. Organization - they have taken care of all details. I planned to throw away a sweat shirt. Right after the shuttle bus arrived the start line, the organizers distributed plastic bags to everyone. This saved my sweatshirt. Volunteers - Everyone was so professional to handle runners' needs. It warm people's hearts by seeing the 'i' balloons floating around ready to help. The Feed Stations - It amazed me to see the full bottles of water and energy drink available at every water station. The Course - It is hard one, especially the hill from 21 to 31 Km. After all, it is the original one. What we can complain about this? However, the road condition was excellent. The permanent blue line clearly marks the route and the permanent milestone signs on the road make me to realize the dedication of the city to this event. The Spectators Along the Road - They are great!! They made me feel that I am an outstanding entertainer along the way. The 'Bravo' cheers made me going all the way. If any runner has not run this Marathon yet, he (or she) should plan to experience this event in a near future. | |
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m. c. from Italy
(9/24/2012)
"very very hard" (about: 2011)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Athens Marathon (Greece)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Before running this marathon I have been looking for tips on the course, and I couldn't find any that prepared me to the hardest course ever. The hills are never ending and when you get to the downhills you're half dead. It's worth doing it, but be prepared! | |
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P. K. from Berlin, Germany
(2/28/2012)
"Unforgettable experience!" (about: 2011)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Athens Marathon (Greece)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the Athens Classic Marathon this past November, and really enjoyed the experience. It was my third marathon and first European race. Compared to the two US races I ran previously, Athens did a superb job of race organization. The expo was a good size and had plenty of race apparel, as well as old Olympic apparel for sale. Packet pickup was effortless. The race shirt was a nice white adidas running jersey with a blue ACM logo on the front, probably the nicest of the three marathon shirts I have so far. The expo was also located centrally, at the Zappeion conference center, a few blocks from Syntagma square and close to all the cool ancient sites. I made the mistake of not staying in the Plaka area, which is the nicest by far. Instead, I went for a cheap hotel (hotel Aristoteles) near Omonia square, which wasn't a nice part of town at all (though the hotel was just fine, no frills). On the morning of the race, buses picked up the runners in front of Syntagma square (and two other nearby locations) early in the morning (starting around 6-615 am) to take us to the start of the race at the Marathon stadium. My only complaint was having to sit around for 2+ hours in an indoor area of the Marathon stadium before the race, but at least the transport was included! Race conditions were cool (about 45F), with light rain and wind. Runners were separated into 7 blocks to start. The course was definitely as difficult as everyone says. The first 10k were fairly flat, winding along the coast and going around the old Battle of Marathon tomb. However, between 10k and 31k the course climbed steadily (about 800 feet total, according to the elevation map), with occasional short downhill areas. I had heard that this is the hardest major marathon in the world, and I believe it. The crowd support along the race varied. For the first half of the race, which was mainly through the countryside, there were fewer supporters, but support was very good whenever the course passed through a small town. People were out shouting Bravo! and giving out olive branches and other souvenirs. Duriing the second half of the course there were more supporters, as we neared Athens. Water and sports drinks were handed out along the course every few km, and there was one Gu station near the halfway point. From 31k until the end, the course sloped downhill, meaning that one could really pick up speed over the last 10k and finish strong through Athens. The finish in the old Olympic stadium was nothing short of spectacular. To complete such an historic race in such a great setting was something I'll never forget. The course was tough, but very much worth it (I was even able to achieve a PB!). Post-race food and drink packets were extensive, and the marathon medal was excellent. Gold satin band with a heavy medal with marathon logo on top of an image of the Olympic stadium. I would definitely run this marathon again! | |
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G. G. from Athens, Greece
(2/4/2012)
"My first marathon!" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Athens Marathon (Greece)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon and it was a great experience! The weather was bad, the crowd was absent most of the way, the hills almost stopped me...but when I reached the finish line the emotions were undescribable...I believe everyone should run the classic route once. | |
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Glen Hertelendy from Paris, France
(1/19/2012)
"Despite shortcomings, a must-run for marathoners" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Athens Marathon (Greece)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 The Athens marathon event consists of three races in one morning - a 5 km race, a 10 km race and a 42.195 km race. Both the 5 km and 10 km races originate and end in the Panathinaikon stadium, whereas the marathon race follows a relatively straight (uphill) line from the town of Marathon to Athens. On the 13th of November 2011, several thousand runners departed at 9:00 from Marathon and ran to the Panathinaikon stadium in Athens covering 42.195 kilometers. The race event for most marathoners had actually started three hours before when buses lined up from Athens (from 5:30 to 6:30) to take the runners to the starting line. Once in Marathon, the runners had almost two hours to warm up and divide into one of the seven starting groups organized according to each runner's estimated time to complete the race (due to the large number of participants, the organization of the runners was done in seven waves each separated by a couple minutes). After starting the race, water bottles were available every 2.5 kms and Powerade every 5 kms. There were also three fitness bar/gel stops towards the latter part of the race as well as three stops with bananas. The course was well marked with signs at each kilometer indicating the distance already covered. Although there were not many bathrooms along the course (only at the beginning and at the end), the race passed by enough shrubs that finding a secluded area was relatively easy. The last three kilometers are the most interesting part of the marathon when the course passes by the American Embassy, the Athens Music Hall, the Liberty Park (Parko Eleftherias), Syntagma Square, the Evaggelismos Hospital, the War Museum and the Panathinaikon Stadium. The finish line is located in the Stadium itself, so the marathon participants are able to run through 170 meters inside it before reaching the finish line. The race is relatively grueling because one has the impression that it is almost entirely uphill. The organizers claim that the course is relatively flat and downhill during the first 10 kms, but I had the impression that the entire race was uphill for the first 32 kms! There were only a few steep ascents, but most of the course felt like a gradual climb. At least everything seemed easier after the 32 km marker when the race started going downhill. I had been warned about the fact that the marathon is mostly uphill, but I was unprepared for the weather. This year's marathon was marked by high winds, really cold temperatures and bits of rain throughout the race. The worst part of the marathon was actually having to wait for almost two hours in Marathon before the start of the race. Many racers found limited cramped spaces near the starting line to stay warm, but several were forced to remain outside to fend for themselves in the unpleasant weather. Once the race started though, almost everyone seemed to forget the bad conditions at the start. The crowd support was very poor during the race, but mostly because the course ran through a highway that frequently has heavy traffic. There were some places with music, but it felt like long stretches were relatively sparse with nothing interesting to see or hear. Only the last three kilometers really offered anything of interest to see, but only because the course finished in Athens. The expo to pick up the race packet was average. The collection of the bib number and race gear was well organized and there were several booths offering souvenirs, running gear, information on other races, etc. I was disappointed with the quality of the racing shirt. Although it was Adidas, it was of poor quality and the race logo was ugly. | |
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L. H. from Miami, florida
(11/21/2011)
"A MUST FOR A SERIOUS MARATHONER" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Athens Marathon (Greece)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was a well organized great race! Yes the hills are a killer. You must be in shape for this race. Athens is a wonderful place to visit. If you are a serious marathoner you must must must do this race | |
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Diana Rosenal from Cincinnati, OH
(11/20/2011)
"Awesome Race and Must Do for Marathoners!" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Athens Marathon (Greece)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran this race in 2011 and had a great time. Support on the course was excellent, packet pick-up was easy, spectators were enthusiastic shouting 'bravo'! The course finish is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I strongly recommend going through Apostolos Greek Tours. I did the 11-day tour and enjoyed race convenience and the opportunity to see a lot of Greece! Paul Samaras and his team get an A+ in making the experience pleasant and memorable without hassle! | |
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R. D. from U.S.A
(11/17/2011)
"Great Volunteers/Well organized/ Killer Hills" (about: 2011)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The race was well organized and the volunteers were excellent. There were plenty of water /PowerAde stations on the route. The rain, wind and freezing temperature made the race unpleasant at times, but it was worth it in the end. Before I ran the race, I read some of the comments about how horrible the hills were and after completing the race, I agree. Dont let the hills discourage you from signing up or completing the race , just take it in stride and try to keep a steady pace or run/walk the hills if thats what it takes to finish. | |
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H. P. from Italy
(11/13/2011)
"Despite poor weather, always a MUST DO race!!!" (about: 2011)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Athens Marathon (Greece)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 30 mph winds and periods of rain made this unpleasant at times. Of course, this is not something the race organization can control. | |
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J. S. from Palm Desert, CA
(4/18/2011)
"This is a MUST experience for every runner!" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Athens Marathon (Greece)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The 2010 Athens Marathon, along with the 2500th Anniversary, was well organized and a memorable event. Running the original historical course and knowing that you are on the footsteps of all the heroes and statesmen of classical Greece where Western civilization began, was like a pilgrimage. This race should be on everyones list. We all had heard that the course is challenging with the long hill on the second 1/3 of the course, but I followed Jeff Galloways advice and started with a moderate pace and saved my energy for the hill. I was able to finish and recover rather quickly. I have been to other destinations and used other tour companies, but for the Athens Marathon I joined Apostolos Greek Tours for the trip of 2010. The staff was there to assist from the moment we landed at the airport, as well as for each days activities. The extra support on the day of the race was priceless; they actually track you from the start to the finish. All in all, I was extremely impressed with the individual care provided and their attentiveness to detail throughout our stay in Greece. For example, my husband had some health issues at the finish and Apostolos Greek Tours (Paul Samaras) stayed with my husband and made sure that the medical team provided all of the necessary assistance. Being in a foreign country and having language barriers, it was very comforting to have Paul, a Greek native and owner of Apostolos Greek Tours, by our side. My husband quickly recovered and was able to participate in the remaining activities that day. Fantastic memories!! |
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