It's not being loudly trumpeted, but this year they are celebrating the 2500 year anniversary of The Battle of Marathon and Pheidippides climactic run to Athens and into history. That wass the event that spawned the modern day marathon that has its origin with Pheidippides run from the Plains of Marathon to Athens. Actually, there's a little more to it than that. A few years back Micki and I traveled to Greece to run the Athens Marathon to follow in the footsteps of Pheidippides (no one knows his last name...I think his last name WAS Pheidippides and his first name was Ralph or Ed or something). I have always been very interested in Greco-Roman history so this trip was a dream come true for me. Persia was the dominant empire (forget the nonsense in 300) of the time while Greece was merely a collection of city states more often than not at odds with each other. The Persians under Darius I amassed a great army and navy preparing to invade Greece as they extended their domination towards what is now known as Europe. The Athenians got wind of this and quickly gathered their own army and prepared to meet the invaders. The Persians landed at Marathon a flat area some 25 miles outside of Athens. The Athenians marched out, camped on the hillside overlooking the plains below and found a army 4 times the size of their own. They successfully blocked the 2 passes towards Athens from Marathon creating a stalemate. This gave them time to dispatch Pheidippides, their swiftest runner, some 70 miles to Sparta to ask for aid and reinforcements. Sparta said they would help but not until the new moon ended their religious festival. On his way back to Marathon Pheidippides was met by the mythological Pan who asked why the Athenians neglected him. Pheidippides responded that the Athenians worshipped the gods that aided them wondering why Pan neglected Athens then continued on his way. Early on the 5th day the Athenians decided to attack the vastly superior Persian forces and as they began their attack a thick fog enveloped the Persian positions increasing the Athenians element of surprise. The Athenians credited the god Pan for confusing their enemy and creating PANdemonium. At battles end over 6,000 Persians lay dead compared to 192 Athenian casualties. Pheidippides was dispatched to Athens with news of this great victory. This is not easy terrain, it's mostly uphill from Marathon to Athens and as Pheidippides staggered into the city he uttered "Nike" (actually pronounced nee-kay) collapsed and died. Some 2495 years later, Danny and Micki stand at the Olympic rings with a thousand others, near where Pheidippides once stood and begin the 26.2 mile trek to Athens. We circle the tomb of the Athenian soldiers who died so many years ago and steadily climb the 17 miles towards Athens. The spectators are few but generous, clapping and shouting "Bravo, Bravo!" We continue on until we reach the peak some 6 miles outside of Athens then began a wonderful descent into the sprawling land of democracy laid out before us. We reach the stadium, built on the same spot where the first modern day Olympics were held in 1896 and enter the stadium for the final lap. We notice that there aren't many spectators for our moment in history. It seems quiet as we circle the track and prepare to cross the Finish Line to a smattering of cheers and back ground noise. We grab hands and raise our arms triumphantly. I glance at Micki and declare"Nike!"; she captures my gaze and responds strongly, "Nike!" We had come to Athens to live history, to run with the Spirit of Pheidippides, and we were victorious!