Today in every corner of the world thousands of Marathons take place, making the sport, the one with the most participants in the planet while in the same time the word “Marathon” is the only common word in every spoken dialect globally.
The International Marathon “ALEXANDER THE GREAT” covers the route from Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia and birthplace of the great Marshal, until Thessaloniki, the modern Greek metropolis of Macedonia.
The Marathon that bears as a symbol, one of the most recognized faces of the humanity, ALEXANDER THE GREAT, isn’t’ just a big and international sports event, but also a route in the history, a route full of Greece, from the ancient Greek civilization until today. The first International Marathon “ALEXANDER THE GREAT” took place on the 16th of April 2006 and was the result of a vision of sports, social and cultural bodies from every part of Greece.
MEAS TRITON of Thessaloniki was licensed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and was sponsored by the Hellenic Athletics Federation, the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO, as well as with the collaboration of multiple bodies, institutional supports.
MEAS TRITON of Thessaloniki organizes the top for North Greece event, with sports, social, cultural, environmental, touristic and above all historical importance, an event that is an excellent ambassador of our town, of Macedonia, and of our whole country, in the planet.
The International Marathon is a member of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), and is incorporated regularly within the official annual international calendar, denying in the same time the right of every other Marathon in the globe to use the name of Alexander the Great.
Details
Starting Time: 08:00
The Marathon route is of low difficulty. Its main characteristics are the small altitude fluctuations and the long straight street that make it ideal for great records. Some other characteristic features are its constant east direction, the long straight street 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 km from the homonym archaeological site, and some 43 meters above sea-level. After the first km of downhill road, the athletes get onto the Thessaloniki-Edessa highway, following it for another 8 km, until they reach Chalkidona.
At the 8th km the athletes enter the city of Chalkidona.
At the 9th km they meet the junction to Veroia and Thessaloniki.
The 10th km is right after Chalkidona.
At the 13th km the road passes through a bridge over Axios River.
The 15th km is before the village Gefyra.
The 20th km is right after the exit for Agios Athanasios at the national highway.
The 25th after the crossroad of Nea Agchialos.
The 28th km passes over Gallikos River.
At the 30th km the athletes pass by Ionia (Diavata)
The 35th km is in the center of Kordelio, in Monastiriou Street.
At the 38th km the athletes turn right in Giannitson Street.
At the 39th the runners turn right in Dafnis Street and then left in Kountouriotou Avenue.
The 40th km is at the Courts of Thessaloniki.
The 41st km and 42nd km run Nikis Avenue.
The finish is at Thessaloniki coastal road – Megalou Alexandrou Avenue (Alexander the Great Statue)
