The Spartathlon Ultra Marathon (which I hope to complete in September) commemorates the epic endurance run that Pheidippides undertook as his duty in 490BC to enlist the support of the Spartans to defend Athens which was under impending attack from the Persians.
The Athenian general Miltiades’ messenger Pheidippides started out of Athens on his duty to Sparta on the ancient Iera Odos, or “sacred road,” up to Elefsis. From there he followed Skyronia Odos, a military road on the slopes of the Gerania mountains, and traveled through Isthmia, Examilia and Ancient Corinth. He went on to Ancient Nemea, thus avoiding the Epicratea of Argos, as it wasn’t in alliance with Athens, and he continued along the mountains between Argolida and Arcadia. After having covered 161kms, (100 miles) he climbed the Parthenio mountain at 1200 meters (3600feet), where he encountered the God Pan. Descending the mountain, he continued in the direction of historical Tegea, one of the locations mentioned by Herodotus in his account about Pheidippides. He proceeded south toward Sparta. Upon his arrival in Sparta, he completed 1140 “stadia,” which equaled 246 kilometers (153 miles).
The Spartans were renowned as fierce warriors, they were also very religious and replied they would come after their religious festival of worship was ended, and Pheidippides his duty incomplete, re-traced his steps to Athens where he delivered the Spartans' reply, and then joined Militades who struck out into battle against the invading Persians and into the famous "Battle of Marathon".
Most famously Pheidippides, having survived ferocious fighting, was sent on another dispatch from Marathon, over a distance equivalent to 26 miles with a message for Athens, he is said to have delivered his duty "Rejoice... the battle has been won" these were his final words, he collapsed and died, his duty fulfilled and his honour intact. His death became legend and Robert Browning's 1879 poem "Phedippides" inspired the introduction of the modern day Marathon ran for the first time in the 1896 Olympics.
The Spartathlon is the event that brings his earlier epic deed to attention today by drawing a legend out of the depths of history. The idea for its creation belongs to John Foden, a British RAF Wing Commander. As a lover of Greece and student of ancient Greek history, Foden stopped his reading of Herodotus’ narration regarding Pheidippides, puzzled and wondering if a modern man could cover the distance from Athens to Sparta, i.e. 246 kms, within 36 hours. He thought that the only way to find out was to try to run the historical course since he himself was a long-distance runner. So it was, that he and four other colleagues from the RAF arrived at the Acropolis in Athens during the Autumn of 1982 and planned the run as closely as possible to Herodotus’ description.
On 8th October they started their adventure to see whether their speculations could be verified. On 9th October, the next day, John Foden arrived in Sparta in front of the statue of Leonidas having run for 36 hours. His colleague, John Scholten, had arrived half an hour earlier and finally, John MaCarthy got to the finish line in less than 40 hours. The British team proved Herodotus was right! A man is really able to cover 246 kms in two days. A truly fitting tribute to Pheidippides, that another military man should be the first to validate his legend.
I hope I have the courage and stamina it will take to experience that feeling of reaching the statue of King Leonidas in Sparta, as I endeavour to run in the footsteps of the First true Ultra Marathon Runner... Pheidippides.
(In the picture from left: John Scholtens, John Foden and John McCarthy, in front of King Leonidas statue in Sparta, the day after their amazing feat on 10 October 1982)
See you soon, more later...
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