One of the most anticipated and watched events of any Olympic Games is the Marathon and the London Olympics’ Marathon will be no exception – it somehow always seems to bring out the heroes, which, actually, is the way it should be – not everyone is aware of this event’s history and to some it is just a Long, Tough Race (and that it definitely is) that sometimes is associated with fund raising!

In the autumn of 2010 Athens celebrated the 2500^th anniversary of the original Marathon and I wrote the following piece for the Periscope Post (The Periscope Post newsletter@periscopepost.com) and thought I would add it to my ‘coverage’ of the current Games:

“The Athens Classical Marathon: 2500th anniversary and still going strong

1 November 2010

For a few glorious hours Greeks forgot their financial misery (oh dear, the misery, sadly continues!) and basked in the sunshine and blue skies and pride associated with the 28th Annual Classic Marathon that took place on Sunday 31st of October.

“Marathon” is a word used all over the world to describe endurance and determination to succeed in a given task – fundraising ‘telethons’ abound and there are over twenty actual Marathon races held each year, not just the high profile events in Boston (that has held Marathons regularly for over a hundred years!), New York, or London but from as far apart as Dublin, Honolulu and the Great Wall. It is probably safe to say that many people are unaware of the history of this major race – even the modern version that has spawned so many copies worldwide is traced back to the first of the modern Olympics in 1896 and has been the highlight of every Olympic Games ever since – who could forget the drama and excitement as the leaders enter the main stadium after what is always a grueling test of willpower?

For a short while on this sunny day in perfect conditions, it was Greece of the 2004 Olympic Games when everyone was smiling and proud of Greece’s achievements and history

But that is just the modern Marathon and what is being celebrated this year is the 2500th anniversary of what one commentator today described as a turning point in history when a handful of Greeks defeated the masses of the Persian horde and effectively assured the ‘legacy of European civilization’. Which long distance runner wouldn’t want to follow in the footsteps of that original messenger, Pheidippides, who ran the 42kms in 490BC from the Battle ground at Marathon to Athens to announce the victory – 42kms, much of it uphill, of very different terrain from today’s paved road that nowadays takes little over two hours for the leaders to complete.

The Athens Classic Marathon is unique as this is where it all started. There may be bigger and better Marathons but where else can you retrace history, where else does the Mayor of Marathon start each group with the cry “Let’s go, have a good race, have fun, take care of each other” to the sound of well loved Greek music. Where else does the Prime Minister take part in the 10kms run and where the runners are welcomed at the finish line by the President of the Republic, in the magnificent marble stadium, packed with cheering spectators, built for the first of the modern Olympics?

For a short while on this sunny day in perfect conditions, it was Greece of the 2004 Olympic Games when everyone was smiling and proud of Greece’s achievements and history and when everything was deemed possible – all it takes is resolve and courage, as proven by the oldest of the 22,000 participants at 91, the runners with special needs (who will be having their very own moment of glory in 2011 when Athens hosts the Special Olympics World Summer Games) and the group of pregnant women. Runners, organisers, volunteers from all over the world all happy to be part of this amazing and unifying challenge.

The excitement and festive spirit might be over for another year but the inspiration should and must last for much longer.”

So, as you watch the Marathon this weekend and cheer on these amazing Athletes, give a thought to who did it first!

Wishing the runners Sunshine and Courage, whatever the weather!