Dean Karnazes is once again running the 246K Spartathlon which follows in the footsteps of Pheidippides

The 36th Spartathlon will once again welcome American Dean Karnazes. This year’s Spartathlon race will take place on September 28-29. Some 400 runners from 50 countries around the world, including 60 Greeks, will follow Pheidippides’ steps in the 36-hour long run to reach the statue of ancient King Leonidas in Sparta. In 490 BC, Pheidippides ran for 36 hours straight from Athens to Sparta to seek help in defending Athens from a Persian invasion in the Battle of Marathon. In doing so, he saved the development of Western civilization and inspired the birth of the marathon as we know it. This year’s Spartathlon race will welcome champions of previous events such as Czech athlete Radek Brunner (second in 2017), Greek Nikos Sideridis (third in 2017), Japanese Ishikawa Yoshihiko (fourth last year), Italian Marco Bonfiglio (second in 2016), Protuguese Joao Oliveira (winner in 2013), German Florian Reus (winner in 2015) and Zsuzsanna Maraz (second last year in females) from Hungary. Greek and foreign ultra marathoners will once again gather at the Acropolis in Athens to to begin the 246K (152 miles) marathon journey to Sparta.  That run in 490 BC stands enduringly as one of greatest physical accomplishments in the history of mankind. Dean Karnazes personally honors Pheidippides and his own Greek heritage by recreating this ancient journey in modern times. Dean even abstains from contemporary endurance nutrition like sports drinks and energy gels and only eats what was available in 490 BC, such as figs, olives, and cured meats.

posted Wednesday September 12th