Although this race began in 1983, this Ultra marathon is rich with ancient history. The race attempts to trace the exact route of Pheidippides, who was an Athenian messenger sent to Sparta in 490 BC to seek help defending against the invading Persians in the Battle of Marathon. Legend has it that the ancient messenger arrived in Sparta the day after he began his trek. Today, runners from all over the world come together to run this 153mi ultra that is held on the last Friday of September. Runners start at the foot of the Acropolis, head out of Athens, run along the coast to Corinth, to the top of Mount Parthenio, southward to Nestani, and end at the main Sparta highway before the 200KM mark. Runners are also required to pass a series of 75 checkpoints along the way, and they must arrive at these checkpoints by a certain time. To participate in this race, runners must a few requirements regarding marathon experience and finish times. Runners who do not make it to the checkpoints before the cut-off time, or those who show signs of fatigue, are usually pulled from the race.