Olympia Marathon is one of the most important races in the spring semester. The competition gathers the international running community in the sacred grounds of Olympia. The Olympia Marathon highlights the connection between the Olympic Games and the Marathon. Without the existence of the modern Olympic Games and one of the most important battles of the ancient times, the Battle of Marathon, the sport of Marathon wouldn’t have been born.
When the modern Olympics began in 1896, the initiators and organizers were looking for a great popularizing event, recalling the ancient glory of Greece. The idea of a marathon race came from Michel Bréal, who wanted the event to feature in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens. This idea was heavily supported by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, as well as by the Greeks.
In the ancient Olympic Games the athletes were gathering in the city of Elis to train and to compete for a place in the Games. The trip from Elis to Olympia started two days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Participants, trainers, hellanodikai (the judges of the Olympic games), officials and thousands of people formed a procession and walked on the Sacred Road that lead them to Olympia.
The Sacred Road started from the city of Elis through the region that now lies the city of Amaliada, Skafidia, Mirtia, Skouroxori, it continued through the region of the city of Pyrgos. There was Piera fountain a place where the procession stopped and offered sacrifice to Zeus then they passed the night in the city of Letrinos and the next day they continued on the Sacred Road to the Holy Olympia grounds.
The programme of the event contains three races. The 12km race from Ancient Elis to the city of Amaliada, the Marathon that starts from the city of Amaliada and finishes in the city of Olympia and the Half-Marathon that starts from the city of Pyrgos and finishes in the city of Olympia.
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Olympia Marathon Day 2
When I looked for new running destinations, I came across the 2 day running event of Olympia Marathon over the Easter holidays. I instantely knew I want run there and … MORE
When I looked for new running destinations, I came across the 2 day running event of Olympia Marathon over the Easter holidays. I instantely knew I want run there and that this extended weekend would make a perfect getaway with family and friends.
Olympia is about a 3,5 hours drive from Athens which is the closest airport and there is not really an option to go there by public transportation. We started in the Greek capitol with some sight seeing, sun and good food. The almost 4-million buzzeling (crazy traffic; watch out for these motor scooters) metropol on the Aegean Sea is still relatively inexpensive in comparison to other cities like Rome or Barcelona.
We rented a car and drove over a more recently finished highway to Olympia. The highway had several checkpoints to pay the road fee (have some cash with you; about 12 Euros in total). The city of Ancient Olympia itself is a rather small town and the selection of hotels or airbnbs is a bit limited. Especially since some of the hotels went bankrupt in the big crisis of 2008/2009 and are still empty fassades. End of March is part of the low season and the numerous souvenir shops almost matched the number of tourists. However, we enjoyed not being flooded away by bus loads of tourists and springtime is a “green” time with many blooming flowers that created a different atmosphere to the brown, yellow dry land that most parts of Greece turn into in summer time.
Our hotel “Neda” was clean and simple, but the breakfast a bit underwhelming. Of all the restaurants we tried we like Café Zeus. Including a drink and shared appetizers one pays about 12-17 Euros for dinner/ lunch and in contrast to that, ice cream was surprisingly expensive (about 2 Euro a scoop).
Saturday we checked out the museum of the Ancient Olympic Games and the ruins of old Olympia that we found very fascinating (tickets come only as combination tickets including the botanical gardens for 6 Euros)
In the afternoon at 5pm my brother and me had our first little run: a 12k race from the ruins of Ancient Elis to the main square of Amaliada, which is about 35km north of Olympia. The Greeks have an ambivalent relation to their past. On the one hand they see themselves as daughters and sons of Plato and Archimedes, on the other hand in the monoatheistic world of the Greek orthodox church, their past with temples and admiring and praying to many different cults and gods is often neglected. The old Olympic games were tributes to Zeus and we dressed up for the running occasion as Zeus with a lighting bolt and Poseidon with a fish net. We tried to enjoy the run and the evening sun and all runners got “crowned” with olive tree garland as the ancient Olympic winners did.
Sunday was the big race day. Buses from Olympia and Pyrgos brought the marathoners to the market square of Amaliada were we finished the 12k race the day before- starting time was 8:30am. The halfmarathoners started in Pyrgos at 9:30am. After the first 21 km/ 13 miles of the marathon, the courses were connected and we ran on the same track. The organization with blocked roads, water and isotonic drinks was flawless but the scenery along the roads partially dull. I really appreciated volunteers on bike checking with each and every single runner if he/she was okay since elevation and the temperatures took their tolls with some of the runners.
We all struggled more or less. The last part of the race was running down the main street of Olympia that was herausgeputzt with plants, flowers and international flags. We were led out of town again to the Olympic ruins were the finish line was set up just above the old Stadium (free entrance for the runners that day). Benjamin, Lina, Shelly and Lisa all crossed the finish line happily after their half and Matthias and me after our full marathon though or goal of a sub4h race was not met that day. The hills were not easy to run and we were not fully adjusted to the warm/ mild temperatures after leaving Germany and Switzerland with snow just 3 days before.
It definitely is not a race for a PB or for people who only like big city races and need a lot of crowd support because one often runs “alone” on the road. However, with the smooth organization, low fees and that very special experience of Olympia and the Greek
Olympia Marathon/ Day 1
12k race of the running weekend. From the Ruins of Ancient Elis to the City Square of Amaleida. Road race. see combined review (Day 2 / full marathon race) MORE
12k race of the running weekend.
From the Ruins of Ancient Elis to the City Square of Amaleida.
Road race.
see combined review (Day 2 / full marathon race)