44th Spartathlon 2026

Runners have 36 hours to complete the Spartathlon’s 246 km from Athens to Sparta, an ultramarathon in Greece held in late September. The race begins in Athens in the morning and concludes at the statue of King Leonidas in Sparta, connecting the modern event to the historical account of Pheidippides’ run between the two cities. This is a selective race, not a simple entry event: participants must be adults with recent qualifying results, such as a fast 100-mile finish or a prior Spartathlon finish within the cutoff time. The field is limited to 400 participants, headlamps with extra batteries and reflective gear are required, bibs must be visible from the front and back, and support crews are permitted only at 17 specified checkpoints.