RunFastAbout the race
The Athens Marathon follows the route that legend gives to the Greek messenger Pheidippides, who is said to have run from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens to announce victory over the Persians. It is held in early November and is often counted among the toughest major marathons.
History
The race has been run since 1972. It often serves as Greece's national marathon championship. Numbers peaked in 2015, when around 43,000 people took part across all events, of which 16,000 ran the full distance. The 2026 race is billed as the 43rd Athens Marathon. A Marathon Flame is lit at the Tomb of the Battle of Marathon and carried to the stadium in Marathon before the start, borrowing from the tradition of the Olympic torch.
The course
The 42.195 km course starts in the town of Marathon, passes the burial mound of the Athenian soldiers and follows a path near the coast through Nea Makri. The route then climbs steadily from around the 10 km mark to about 31 km, which is regarded as the hardest sustained ascent on any major marathon. After the summit it eases to a gentle downhill into central Athens, passing a statue of a runner before finishing inside the Panathenaic Stadium, the finish of both the 1896 and 2004 Olympic marathons.
Distances and the 2026 programme
On race weekend the organiser runs the marathon alongside a 10 km road race, a 5 km road race, a 5 km universities night run and a 1,200 m kids' race. The marathon starts at 08:30 on Sunday 8 November 2026, while the 10 km starts at 08:00 and the evening and children's events take place on the Saturday.
Entry basics
Registration for the 2026 marathon is shown as sold out on the organiser's site. Its menus cover individual and group registrations, a charity programme and a runners' centre with FAQs, so check those pages for time limits and future entry windows, and for the date of the next edition.
Where to watch
The organiser publishes a spectators' guide. The most accessible spots are the finish at the Panathenaic Stadium in central Athens and the start in Marathon, while the long climb in between offers quieter roadside views.
Weather
November in Athens is a mild autumn month. Mornings can be cool and the day pleasant, but rain is possible as the wetter season begins, so conditions vary from year to year.
SourcesAthens Marathon. The Authentic·Wikipedia: Athens Classic Marathon