You are organizing Alexander the Great International Marathon on April 5th 2015. Can you tell us where your event is located and how runners are able to travel there easily?
42 km separate Pella, birthplace of Alexander the Great, and Thessaloniki, capital of Macedonia: on this course, on the 5th of April 2015, will take place the 10th edition of the Alexander the Great International Marathon. Thessaloniki can be reached easily and comfortably through the Thessaloniki International Airport “Macedonia” that is only a few kilometers away from the city center. For those travelling by train, instead, Thessaloniki has a new train station located about two kilometers from the center, to which it is connected by several bus lines and an efficient and cheap taxi service.
Are there different distances in your event?
The race, the second most important 42 km in Greece after the Athens Authentic Marathon, will be accompanied by a 10 km and a 5 km, as well as other minor races, such as the solidarity race and the kid’s race.
Tell us something about the history of your event. Why was it created in the first place and how has it changed over the years?
On April 5th 2015 the Alexander the Great International Marathon will celebrate it’s tenth edition: it is an extremely significant milestone for the second most important marathon in Greece. The race was born from the desire of M.E.A.S. Triton Association to give to the capital city of Macedonia and to the Macedonia Region itself a race worthy of the importance of the city, as well as to celebrate the personality symbol of Thessaloniki, Alexander the Great of whom the equestrian statue stands not far from the white Tower.
Describe your route a bit. How’s the scenery? Is the route beginner friendly? Can runners expect PB’s?
The route is of low difficulty. Its main characteristics are the small altitude fluctuations and the long straight street that make it ideal for personal bests. Some other characteristic features are its constant eastern running direction and the limited inhabited areas which it crosses until almost the 30th kilometer.
The race starts from Pella, in front of the statue of Alexander the Great on horseback, hardly a kilometer from the homonym archaeological site, and some 43 meters above sea-level, and finishes at the White Tower of Thessaloniki right on the seaside.
How many runners do you expect to have in your event?
Last year we reached nearly 16,000 participants, so for the tenth edition we expect to have 18,000 runners at the start line.
What kind of weather conditions can runners prepare to face in your event?
A temperature between 18 and 20 degrees and a spring weather.
What else should runners do in the city after/before the race? Any suggestions to newcomers?
Thessaloniki has been described as one of the cities with the best nightlife in the world: amid the White Tower, Aristotelous Square and Ladadika Market you can find several restaurants, bars and night clubs of all kinds. Strong point of the city certainly is the food: alongside with the most famous dishes, such as greek salad, feta cheese or tzatziky, you can taste many other dishes based on fish and meat, but also a variety of vegetables – potatoes, peppers, zucchini, eggplants and mushrooms – prepared in the most delicious and disparate ways. Thessaloniki is also a city of history and culture: in addition to the Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman remains, the ancient Thessalonica hosts many museums, art exhibitions, theater performances, concerts and international trade fairs. Among the best known events, the Thessaloniki Film Festival, now at its fifty-fifth edition. The city also holds some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Greece and modern athletic stadiums in which to train.
How would you describe your event to people who haven’t yet participated in it? What makes your event unique?
Thessaloniki is a magical city: lying on the Aegean Sea, it represents a ‘golden door’ between East and West. Here, the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and Ottoman remains are mixed with the modernity of a city alive and pulsating. Running the Alexander the Great International Marathon means diving into the history not only of Greece but of the entire Europe. What makes this a unique marathon, is the city itself, extraordinary and inimitable, absolutely worth a visit.
Anything else you want to tell about your event?
The hospitality of the people of Thessaloniki makes this chaotic city easy and pleasant to live. The food is great everywhere and very cheap. Coming to run the Alexander the Great Marathon means enjoying a wonderful holiday in a unique land and at a cost affordable to absolutely everyone.
