The last 170 metres of the Athens Marathon
By AthRecs Editorial · 2 min read
The road from Marathon climbs through Pikermi and Pallini before dropping towards Athens. On Sunday 8 November the final 170 metres belong to the Panathenaic Stadium.
For almost the whole Athens Marathon you are a road runner. Then, with 170 metres to go, there is tartan beneath your feet. Ahead is the finish in a marble stadium that welcomed Olympic marathoners in 2004. Behind you is a road that has asked rather more of your legs than the opening kilometres let on.
Marathon town to the first climbs
The 43rd edition starts at 08:30 local time on Sunday, 06:30 for anyone following from the UK. The opening four kilometres tilt gently downhill. The route loops past the Marathon Tomb and reaches a flat stretch at Nea Makri. Those early splits can flatter a runner who has set out a little too fast.
There is climbing in stretches from kilometre 11. The road drops near the Rafina junction, then rises again towards Pikermi. At 25km there is a sustained uphill section. Pallini brings more climbing at 27–28km. A friend tracking from home might see a slower split here even when their runner has judged the effort well.
The turn for home
The organiser singles out the stretch towards Stavros, around 30–31km, as the toughest climb. Beyond it the road drops sharply to Agia Paraskevi, then mixes downhill and flat running on the way into Athens. By 40km the runners have reached Eleftherias Park and the final aid station.
The approach to the stadium comes past the National Garden. If you are meeting a first-time finisher afterwards, ask what they noticed on those last 170 metres. The watch will have recorded a time. It will have missed the moment the marble stands came into view.
Quick answers
What time does the 2026 Athens Marathon start in the UK?
The first start is at 06:30 GMT on Sunday 8 November, which is 08:30 in Greece. The race starts in Marathon town and finishes in Athens.
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