Classic marathon challenge for a great cause
Posted by Chris Alefantis - 05/06/2009
It is not as if they ever took their running shoes off, it is just that the members of the Greek extreme team have been wearing them more regularly lately. They are training hard and making plans, having their minds set on a single goal: To cross the finish line of the next Athens Classic Marathon and collect donations along the way to support the Homeless World Cup Foundation and, in specific, the nine teams that the current global campaign is aiming to take care of. The marathon will take place on Sunday November 8. It traces the original route followed by the famous herald Pheidippides from the battlefield at the site of the town of Marathon where the Greeks fought off the Persians to the centre of Athens. According to the legend, Pheidippides run the whole distance and upon arrival, he delivered the momentous message “Nenikikamen”. “We won!” he exclaimed, before collapsing and dying. That was back in 490 B.C. This is the story behind the Marathon. Every year, on the first Sunday of November, Greeks and people from all over the world have the chance to follow Pheidippides’ path, by participating in the Athens Classic Marathon (www.athensclassicmarathon.gr).
Most members of the Greek extreme team have done so over the past few years (on a number of occasions too), but this year it will be different. The opportunity to raise awareness on the issues of Homelessness and social exclusion as well as to provide support for the Homeless World Cup Foundation gives a new impetus to the event.
Yiannis Tsilis, Vaios Mesdanitis, Aristotelis Papageorgiou, Sergios Milis, Nikos Valatsos, Giorgos Frantzoglou, Periklis Papapanagis and Chris Alefantis have all declared themselves fit and ready to take up the challenge.
It is more than likely that more friends will join them, along the way. Actually, everybody should run a marathon in his/her lifetime at least once. And there is no greater opportunity that this one: The truly original, classic route for a great cause!
The great Emil Zatopek once declared: “If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon”. Here is your chance!
This will be the third year straight that the Greek extreme team will be venturing out on the street of Greece for the Homeless World Cup. Back in 2007, Yiannis, Gabi, Nick and Chris took part in the Alonissos Marathon to raise funds for ten nations which simply did not have the resources to travel to Copenhagen for the 5th Homeless World Cup. We had set a target of raising 1,000 euros (approximately 700GBP). Through the great support of our ever extending group of friends and supporters we well surpassed it, raising 977GBP. Similarly, last year’s marathon run raised some 1,316GBP, surpassing by over 60% the original fund-raising target of 800GBP.
This year, we have raised the bar, once again: Our fund raising target for 2009 is 1000GBP. Let’s make it!
Last year, the members of the Greek team organized their own pasta party, too. It proved to be a huge success and it is surely to be repeated this year as well.
Everybody is welcome to join our team. In addiction, if anyone who is not a resident of Athens/Greece wishes to run the Athens Classic Marathon and be part of our extreme team, we can definitely assist with locating the right accommodation (in terms of pricing, location etc.) and provide all kind of practical support that might be required. It is always great to have local friends, when you visit a foreign country.
Our team’s webpage this year is: www.justgiving.com/extremeteamgreece Our contact details: Chris Alefantis, chrisa@galera.gr, +30 2103843983 (work), +30 6942 768470 (mobile) For more information: www.homelessworldcup.org www.galera.gr www.justgiving.com/extremeteamgreece www.facebook.com (Greek national homeless team fan club) www.justgiving.com/chrisalefantis www.justgiving.com/teamgreece
