Athens Marathon 2026: Karaiskos, Noula and the hills before the stadium

Who's racing — and what makes the course demanding?

The Authentic Marathon starts in Marathon and ends in Athens’ Panathenaic Stadium. Its rolling and climbing middle section has ended plenty of ambitious pacing plans. Greek contenders include Panagiotis Karaiskos, previous winner Babis Pitsolis and Stamatia (Matina) Noula, the defending women’s winner. An announced return of 20 international elite competitors gives the domestic championship a deeper dimension.

The national championship start list also names Nikolaos Stamoulis, Georgios Stamoulis, Giorgos Menis and Daphne Lavasa among athletes to follow. An athlete’s name on the entry sheet is not yet a result. For the non-professional runner, this is the race where restraint before the tough middle miles may do more good than enthusiasm at kilometre five.

The full marathon is Sunday at 08:30 Athens time, and each runner should follow the specific assigned start block. The 10K is also scheduled for Sunday; Saturday includes 5K races.

Race-day weather outlook (checked 5 November): the UK Met Office forecasts sunshine and a daytime high near 14°C in Athens, with a cooler early morning. An independent race-route model estimates roughly 10°C at the 08:30 start, climbing towards 13–14°C, with possible stronger winds and gusts. These are different forecast models, not guaranteed on-course readings. The course's initial 12 km are relatively level, the next 19 km climb in long sustained hills, and the final 11 km descend to the Panathenaic Stadium. Athletes should conserve energy on the climbs and avoid trying to regain all lost time on the descent.

Course difficulty, weather and what athletes need to know

The full marathon is Sunday at 08:30 Athens time, and each runner should follow the specific assigned start block. The 10K is also scheduled for Sunday; Saturday includes 5K races.

Race-day weather outlook (checked 5 November): the UK Met Office forecasts sunshine and a daytime high near 14°C in Athens, with a cooler early morning. An independent race-route model estimates roughly 10°C at the 08:30 start, climbing towards 13–14°C, with possible stronger winds and gusts. These are different forecast models, not guaranteed on-course readings. The course's initial 12 km are relatively level, the next 19 km climb in long sustained hills, and the final 11 km descend to the Panathenaic Stadium. Athletes should conserve energy on the climbs and avoid trying to regain all lost time on the descent.

This is a marathon that punishes optimistic starts. The early kilometres can feel deceptively comfortable, followed by a long stretch of climbing and a descent that can be hard on tired quadriceps. Check the bus transport to Marathon, bib collection, your assigned block and any late route/weather notices. Race-route wind models can differ substantially, so follow local official updates rather than relying on one gust estimate.

Find the event, profiles and official updates

See the AthRecs race page for Athens Marathon and use the official organiser updates for the final schedule, instructions, weather warnings and start-list changes. Athlete profiles are linked only where an identity match has been reviewed. After the race, results should be attached to the correct distance and verified against the official timing source.

Sources: Athens elite field announcement · Greek national championship entrants · UK Met Office Athens forecast, 5 November · Athens race-route wind and elevation model · Official event page