2500 YEARS MARATHON – MARATHONMAN’S DAILY CHALLENGE TO ATHENS – 28. Athens Classic Marathon

MarathonMan Stefaan Engels is about to come to Athens as part of a crazy challenge to create an unbeatable world record by running one marathon a day for a year. For the 49-year-old Belgian, it is certainly not a case of the loneliness of the long distance runner, as he is joined by crowds of supporters wherever he runs.

He is inviting all Greeks to accompany him for part or all of his daily endurance test. His tour reaches Athens on October 26 where he will undertake his week of marathon 'jogs' starting at Agios Kosmas Athletic Centre in Elleniko/Athens from around 2pm to 6pm every day until October 29 and on October 30 at Schinias Rowing center nearby the historic place of Marathon from 2.30pm to 6.30pm before running the Athens Classic Marathon on Sunday.

MarathonMan Stefaan Engels is hardly one to take ‘no’ for an answer. After a childhood dogged by asthma, he rebelled when doctors advised him at the age of 24 that he would be unable to undertake any strenuous sports, and set out to prove them wrong. Stefaan is already almost two-thirds of the way towards what he reckons will be an unbeatable achievement in the Guinness Book of World Records. His record claim will be lodged once he has completed his 365 consecutive days of marathon running on February 5 next year.

Stefaan wants to be the Pheidippides of this age. Just like Pheidippides, he runs to deliver a message. He runs to inspire others to realise they can be more active in their daily lives, to emphasize the benefits of doing physical activity, and to prove that with the right determination and with the support of a good team, you can achieve any goal. He pretends it is good not to be afraid to chase a goal that requires leaving the path on which you risk getting stuck.

Preferably a goal related to sports because that will bring you some result. A more active life results in a healthier body and a sharper mind, ingredients for a more qualitative life.

Athens/Marathonas is THE place to be for MarathonMan this year, as the marathon movement celebrates is existence where it all started, 2500 years after Pheidippides run from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC) with the word Nenikékamen ("We have won") and collapsed and died on the spot from exhaustion.

MarathonMan wants to be part of this memorable anniversary; however without collapsing, as on the next and many more day(s) the 365runs will continue.