Spartathlon 2005,
The Comrades “Marathon” (ultramarathon) is probably the most prestigious ultra race in the World. It is unusual for an ultra event, having a long history dating back to 1911 and regularly attracting both a world-class field and more than 10000 runners. Only the Boston Marathon can compare in longevity terms, the first running dating back to 1897 and now in its 108th year. John Kelley (1907-2004), a veteran of the event completed the course a staggering 61 times, winning the event twice and finishing his last race at the age of 84 in 1992. He was voted runner of the century by the US edition of Runner’s World Magazine (As with many US sporting stars unknown to almost anybody else in the world!).
The first Greek Spartathlon event was held in 1983, but its origins date back to 490 BC. It is a relatively low key event, held in the last week of September and attracts a small field of a few hundred runners, with less than half completing the 246 km (153 miles) within the 36 hr cut-of time. To date, only approximately 30 runners from the UK have completed the course.
Many marathon runners are familiar with Pheidippides tragic run from the Marathon to Athens whose last words were to announce victory over the Persians before expiring from exhaustion. Fewer are aware that prior to this he had run from Athens to Sparta to seek support from their old enemy and warrior like neighbours. There is little historical evidence of the run to Athens, but relatively good historical data for his return journey to Sparta, recorded by the Greek historian Herodotus in the 5 Century BC1. Although the Spartans agreed to support the Athenians, they were not prepared to send an army until the moon was full, too late to repel the advancing Persian army.
The inspiration for the Spartathlon event is accredited to John Foden, a British RAF Officer who successfully attempted the distance in 1982 with two other RAF colleagues, retracing the epic historical run by Pheidippides, who arrived in Sparta the day after leaving Athens, thus establishing the benchmark of 36 hours for the modern race. The 1st International Spartathlon was held in 1983 attracting 45 runners from 11 countries.
The Spartathlon has been described as one of the world’s toughest races, a continuous 246 km run over road, rough tracks and climbing steep hillsides, including the infamous Mount Parthenio, a 1100m (3600’) ascent at night after 93 miles. Temperatures usually vary from a strength-sapping 30oC during the day to nearly 0 oC in the mountains at night.
In 2005, cool conditions and torrential rain arrived on Day 2 causing some runners to abandon with hypothermia, but the inclement conditions probably assisted the British contingent, as there were a record number of finishers (5).
