The 2,500th Anniversary of the Battle of Marathon

The Green Girl discovered the Athens Classic Marathon celebration has already begun.

Greek women’s marathon record holder, Maria Polyzou, became the first woman to recreate the legendary run of the Greek messenger, Pheidippides, by running 520 kilometres (325 miles) from Athens to Sparta and back to Marathon to mark the battle’s 2,500th year anniversary.

Polyzou started at the Acropolis on July 26th. She reached Sparta on July 29th, and then she returned to The Tomb of Marathon.

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The Tomb of Marathon, where she finished her run, is the burial ground of the 192 Athenians who were killed in the ancient Battle of Marathon with Persia.

Polyzou is the current Greek women’s marathon record holder. She's been running marathons for 23 years. She is also the director of the Museum of the Marathon in the town of Marathon.

Polyzou's run kicked off the commemorations planned for the 2,500th anniversary of this event. The celebration ends October 31 with the Athens Classic Marathon.

I am really looking forward to being a part of this once-in-a-lifetime event.