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33rd Ultra-Marathon race Spartathlon kicks off from Athens

Xinhua, September 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

The 33rd annual ultra-marathon race Spartathlon from Athens to Sparta, one of the most demanding long distance courses internationally, kicked off in front of the Acropolis hill in the Greek capital of Athens Friday morning.

This year 385 runners from more than 40 countries and regions are competing, following the footsteps of ancient Greek soldier Pheidippides in the 246 kilometers distance race to the southern Peloponnese peninsula city of Sparta. Greece has 65 runners this year, followed by Japan with 61 runners. Among the runners are 54 women.

"I run for happiness and I hope this year I can complete the race in about 33 hours," Mickey Murata from Japan told Xinhua Thursdday night. The 57-year-old mechanic engineer started his running 15 years ago and completed his first Spartathlon last year at 31:43:19. The running in the last 15 years has witnessed Murata's weight decreased from 77 kg to 60 kg.

For the first time Spartathlon runner Bob Hearn from the United States, running is a way of dialogue between himself and the world. As a software engineer, the natural beauty and rich history along the route of Spartathlon brought him from America to test the longest ever running distance for him, Hearn told Xinhau Thursday night.

In 490 BC, ahead of the battle of Marathon against the Persian forces, according to historians, the Athenian soldier who inspired the Classic Marathon was sent to Sparta to request support, making the journey on foot non stop within two days.

Since 1983 each September people of various ages and professions from across the globe who test the limits of human willpower revive his feat.

The target on their mind is to reach the statue of ancient Spartan King Leonidas in the center of Sparta.

Only about a third of participants complete Spartathlon in the past 32 years, organizers note. The tough ground conditions through steep hillsides and the strict time limits make it one of the greatest challenges for runners.

The award of those who make it and touch the feet of Leonidas' statue is an olive wreath and a sip of water from the nearby Evrotas river.

Greek veteran runner Yannis Kouros, who won the first Spartathlon, still holds the record time at 20:25:00. Endi