The 2009 race was prepared very well (drinks, fruit), but my advice is to take energy gel with you. Also, the route is very beautiful and demanding.

The gift bag is a joke - just a 5-euro t-shirt for an 80-euro participation fee. Also, you will not get a participation certificate or a photo unless you pay the next 40 euros.

The police in Athens did nothing. They will never help you; forget about it. Do not take your car to Athens, or park it only in a safe place.

People in Greece are very friendly. I have to thank them very much.

This was my second marathon. My first was much better.

For my 30th marathon, I thought this would be excellent - and it was great! Apostolos Greek Tours was superb, and Paul, Jill, Jeff Galloway and all involved did a SUPER job for us! This is the only way to go, and I would recommend it highly!!

Thanks to Paul at Apostolos Greek Tours for providing trash bags so we didn't get all wet in the rain. And thanks to the spectators who still came out in the rain to cheer us on. There weren't many but the ones who were there were great. Jeff Galloway and Apostolos Tours are the only way to do this race and trip. They took care of everything for us. It was perfect.

For some reason, I had never considered running the Athens Marathon until this year, but I would thoroughly recommend it.

It was easy to get in - just an 80 euro entry fee, which gets you numerous gifts and, extremely generously, five days of free public transport in Athens. Next year demand may be higher as it's the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon.

A word of warning: the course is a bit of a killer, with long, relentless climbs from 18 KM to 32 KM. It's also pretty featureless, following the main dual carriageway from Marathon to Athens. Support is fairly sparse, although the crowds grow as you enter Athens.

But it's hard to quibble when you're following the path of the original Marathon runner, Pheidippides. Maybe there were fewer out-of-town shopping malls in 490 B.C.E.

The hours of painful toil suddenly make sense when you round the final corner and enter the Panathinaikon Stadium.

Finishing the race in the home of the 1896 Olympics and of the ancient games inspires a magical feeling.

I can't speak highly enough of the organization. All of the literature was in both Greek and (perfect) English, instructions were clear and - other than a lack of places to shelter from the rain at the start - it seemed to pass off without a hitch.

Everybody was bussed efficiently to Marathon from central Athens in the early morning, and energy gels, bananas and sponges were handed out as well as drinks at the refueling stops.

Don't expect to set a blistering time, or to experience support like London, but do it for the history and for a truly unique experience. It is the Marathon, after all.

The only remark is that there are too few toilets at the start, but for the rest, it is overall a very well organized marathon, from the beginning to the end: compliments to the organization.

Also, spectators were OK (even if not like on the 1st Avenue in NYC Marathon) - always cheerful, even under the rain.

The only problem is the course, which is really terrible: in my opinion, this marathon cannot grow much and become a large marathon, not due to the slopes (even if there are far too many), but due to the scenery, which is really "horrible": ok, it is the only way from Marathon to Athens, but believe me, it is really horrible till you enter Athens (more or less at Kilometer 38).

As a Greek, I have run the classical a couple of times in the past and I am also familiar with all of the previous races....

I have to say that 2008 was the best of all. Very good organized, a lot of support, more fans on the streets (not all the way as you will see in other big, famous marathons, but enough for this event) and even the expo was much better than in the past. Weather was also great, and it was really a race to enjoy.

Overall, I just hope that the level will stay high also in the future years, and more and more runners from all around the world will run this marathon, which is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

My only major disappointment with this race was that the info packet stated that spectators could catch a bus to the starting line after all of the runners had been transported. This was certainly not the case. Friends and supporters without cars or taxis had to wait at the finish line and did not get a chance to see the stadium at Marathon. This isn't a huge drawback; it's only disappointing that the welcome letter stated otherwise.

Organization was great, especially the little perk of free public transportation in the days before and after the race. The organizers are pretty liberal about this, so you can pick up an extra transit card for a companion.

Registration packet pickup is efficient, although freebies are not plentiful at the expo.

Despite the lack of transportation to spread out-of-town supporters around the track, the locals came out in decent numbers to cheer you on. The Greeks are rightfully proud of being the originators of the marathon.

The view along the route varies from ho-hum to naturally scenic. You don't catch sight of the Acropolis until nearly the end.

Water, sports drinks, bananas, and sponges are plentiful.

Overall, highly recommended for any serious marathon runner.

The start and finish of this race is wonderful. The spectators are sparse, but great and enthusiastic. The course support was absolutely outstanding. And being able to run the route from which the marathon was born (plus run the exact route run in the 2004 Olympics) was very special. Apostolos Tours is the way to go if you want to do this marathon - they take care of you from the time they pick you up at the airport to when they drop you off again at the airport and everything in between.

What a great destination marathon! Scheduled at the right time of year, the weather was good and the historic sites were not crowded. The warm welcome at the airport was a nice touch, including helpful directions and a free transportation pass for the weekend. The expo was centrally located and well run, including a free EKG (very cool!). Volunteers were friendly and cheerful. The bus transportation to the start (in the city of Marathon) and the baggage collection were both well organized and efficient. The course has some long inclines, so plan for them, but draw your inspiration from running in the footsteps of Pheidippides. It's also refreshing to run a point-to-point course with a clear, distant goal. The support was top-notch (water stations every 3 kilometers), and the spectators (in populated areas) were energizing. Traffic management was good, and the final downhill stretch to Panathinaikon Stadium felt great. The finish is remarkable. Altogether, it's a great weekend in Athen's historical center, and it's a great opportunity to run the original course. Put the Athens Classic Marathon on your list.

The course, while the historical course from BC, left something to be desired in the current day. Quite a few hills, and mostly industrial parks. But finishing in the original Marble Olympic Stadium was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Apostolos Tours was first-rate.