Μετάφραση 
Athens Marathon - The Authentic
The Marathon Race was introduced in commemoration of the run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens who reported the Greeks’ victory against the Persians in 490BC.
Marathon was first contested at the revival of the Olympic Games in 1896, with the Greek athlete Spyros Louis, becoming the first Olympic champion. The Original Marathon Course starts from the ancient city of Marathon and ends to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the main venue for the Games of the I Olympiad. The length of the first Olympic marathon was 40 km. Considered as one the most difficult major marathon races, the course is uphill from the 10 km mark to the 31 km mark – the toughest uphill climb of any major marathon, which makes the Athens Marathon a real challenge for long distance runners. Thousands of runners from all over the world participate in every year's race.
In 1955 Stelios Kyriakidis, winner of the 1946 Boston Marathon started the 1st international Marathon Race to be held since 1896 over the authentic course. From 1967 to 1980 the race was held annually, recognized also as the Greek National Championships. The Athens Classic Marathon as an annual race open for all runners began in 1972. Since 1982, the Athens Classic Marathon has been dedicated to Gregoris Lambrakis, a former international athlete and Member of the Hellenic Parliament, who was murdered in 1963. At the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad in 2004, the traditional route was once again followed with athletes running 42.195m the official approved distance established in 1924.
IAAF awarded the Athens Classic Marathon a “Gold Label” in 2010, in recognition of the historical and symbolic significance of the race marking the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon. In parallel with the Marathon race, 5km and 10km Road races, Power Walking, a Special Olympic Hellas Fun Race (1200m), a Team 3km Road Race and a Kids Fun Race (1200m) are taking place on the same day with the main event. Registration fees vary, depending on the country of origin, the registration level and the length of the race.