Running Events in Athens Greece 2026

Athens is probably the most layered running city in Greece, and not just because it's the capital. Four mountains inside the urban area, coastal roads along the Saronic Gulf, the original Marathon route, and a running calendar in 2026 that stretches from January to November. This guide covers every major running event in Athens 2026: trail races, the Athens Half Marathon, the Poseidon Athens Half Marathon, the legendary Spartathlon, and the race that gave its name to the distance, the Athens Classic Marathon. Whether you want a half marathon PB on a flat coastal course, a technical trail on Ymittos, or something completely mad (looking at you, Spartathlon), there's something here.

Upcoming Running Events in Athens (2026)

Veikou Trail – January 18, 2026

Location: Galatsi, Athens Distances: 20km | 10km | 5km Entry fee: €14 (10km/20km) | €12 (5km) Registration: veikoutrail.gr

The Veikou Trail is exactly what it sounds like: a trail race in the middle of Athens. Veikou Hill in Galatsi (part of the Tourkovounia range) offers surprisingly rugged terrain for a race that starts at a municipal stadium. Routes pass through old quarries with exposed rock and views across the city. The 10km is the sweet spot. A good early-season option when the January calendar looks empty, and in Athens, it usually does.

11th Lycabettus Run – February 15, 2026

Location: Lycabettus Hill, Athens Distances: Road 11km | Road 5.5km | Trail 9km | Trail 4.5km Registration: lycabettusrun.gr

The 11th Lycabettus Run takes place on and around Lycabettus, the 277-metre limestone hill that rises from central Athens with arguably the best views in the city. Start and finish at the St. George Lycabettus Hotel. Four formats: road or trail, short or longer. The trail 9km has the most character. Six formats in total if you count the relay options, which means there's really no excuse not to find something that fits.

49th Athens Health Run – February 8, 2026

Location: Olympic Rowing Centre, Schinias (Marathon area) Distances: Half Marathon 21.1km | 10km | 5km Entry fee: €16 (half marathon) | €14 (10km) | €12 (5km) Registration: myrace.gr

The 49th Athens Health Run is held at the Olympic Rowing Centre in Schinias, built for the 2004 Athens Games and sitting right on the Marathon coast. Flat, fast, and with Schinias wetlands and pine forest as backdrop. One of the few places in Attica where you can run a half marathon on genuinely level ground. 49th edition — that tells you everything you need to know about the event's reliability.

14th Athens Half Marathon – March 8, 2026

Location: Athens city centre Distances: Half Marathon 21.097km | 5km Registration: athinahalfmarathon.gr

The 14th Athens Half Marathon is the biggest spring running event in Athens, with around 30,000 participants expected. The course starts and finishes on Vasilissis Amalias Avenue, looping through central Athens past the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the National Gardens, and the Panathenaic Stadium. Forty monuments along the route, if you're the kind of person who counts monuments while racing (nothing wrong with that, I just have other things to think about at kilometre 18). The 5km OPAP starts later in the morning and works well as a first race. There's also a free Family Run for anyone bringing the kids.

10th Eukleios Mountain Race & 6th Ymittos Marathon – March 29, 2026

Two events, same day, same mountain. The 6th Ymittos Marathon fields the big distances (46km and 27km, both ITRA-certified), while the 10th Eukleios Mountain Race covers 18km, 10km, and 5km. Mount Ymittos sits on the eastern edge of the Athens basin: pine-covered, with wide views over the city once you get above the tree line. The 10km is achievable for runners with basic trail experience. The 46km is a completely different conversation.

Poikilo Rocky Mountain – April 5, 2026

Location: Petroupoli, Athens Distances: 29km | 18km | 10km Registration: athletin.gr

The Poikilo Rocky Mountain takes place on Mount Poikilo, the rocky ridge between western Athens and Piraeus. Rugged terrain (the "Rocky" in the name is honest), with exposed limestone and views down to the port and the sea. Start at the 8th of March Plateau in Petroupoli. Over 600 participants expected. On the same day, the Hydra Trail Marathon runs on the car-free island of Hydra (38.5km, 18km, 8km), a completely different setting if the island logistics work for you.

17th Poseidon Athens Half Marathon – April 26, 2026

Location: Paleo Faliro Distances: Half Marathon 21.1km | Quarter Marathon 10.5km | 5km Registration: stc-events-registrations.org

The 17th Poseidon Athens Half Marathon is the main coastal race of the Athens spring calendar. Starts from the POL.A.K. cultural centre in Paleo Faliro and runs along Faliro Bay: past the Averof Battleship, through the Flisvos Marina, out toward Alimos. Two laps, flat, seafront, fast. If you're looking for a good time on an Athens half marathon, this is the right course. The Quarter Marathon (10.5km) is also a solid option.

SNF Nostos Run – June 23, 2026

Location: Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea Distances: 10km | 6km Entry fee: €5 minimum donation Registration: snfrun.randp.gr

The SNF Nostos Run takes place at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Renzo Piano's waterfront complex in Kallithea that houses the National Opera and the National Library. The 10km and 6km routes pass through the park and along the seafront. Entry is a €5 minimum donation, making it one of the most accessible events on the Athens calendar. A good option to stay active during the gap between the spring and autumn racing seasons.

44th Spartathlon – September 26, 2026

Location: Start: Athens, Acropolis → Finish: Sparta Distance: 246km Ultra Registration: spartathlon.gr

The 44th Spartathlon is the race that makes everything else look short. Athens to Sparta, 246km, 36-hour cutoff. The route traces the path of Pheidippides in 490 BC: not the famous 42km to Athens, but the other one, the 246km run to ask Sparta for help before the Battle of Marathon. IAU Golden Label status, held under the auspices of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. If you're reading a running events guide and this is the race you're considering, you probably don't need more persuasion from me.

RunGreece Piraeus – October 4, 2026

Location: Piraeus Distances: 10km | 5km Registration: run-greece.gr

The RunGreece Piraeus is part of the national RunGreece series that visits different Greek cities each year. Road race in the port city with the harbour as backdrop. 10km and 5km. A solid autumn warm-up before November's main event.

43rd Athens Marathon The Authentic – November 8, 2026

Location: Start: Marathon → Finish: Athens, Panathenaic Stadium Distances: Marathon 42.195km | 10km | 5km Registration: athensauthenticmarathon.gr

The 43rd Athens Marathon The Authentic is the original. The course follows the route Pheidippides ran in 490 BC from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens: 42km that start on the coast, climb gently through Attic villages, then descend into the city to finish inside the 1896 Olympic marble stadium. The profile is honest: the first 30km are manageable, the climb around kilometre 30 is not, and the final 11km downhill into Athens depends entirely on how the day went. The 10km and 5km are also available for those who want to be part of the event without the full distance.

If you run one marathon in Greece, this is the one.

Trail Running Near Athens

Athens doesn't look like a trail city. Until you've been there. Four proper mountains within the urban area: Hymettus/Ymittos (1,026m), Parnitha (1,413m), Penteli (1,109m), Aigaleo/Poikilo (468m). The Salomon Mountain Cup trail series visits three of them across the winter months (Penteli in January, Ymittos in February, Parnitha in March), a good introduction to the terrain before the bigger spring events.

Key trail events for 2026:

Veikou Trail (January 18) — urban trail on Tourkovounia, accessible for first-timers
Lycabettus Run (February 15) — city hill trail, short and technical
Ymittos Marathon / Eukleios (March 29) — the big spring Ymittos day, from 5km to 46km
Poikilo Rocky Mountain (April 5) — rocky western ridge, 10km to 29km
Hydra Trail Marathon (April 5) — island trail on car-free Hydra, completely different
Spartathlon (September 26) — if you have to ask, you already know

Road Races in Athens

For road races in Athens 2026, the calendar covers winter through November:

Half marathon: Athens Half Marathon (March, city centre, 30,000 runners), Poseidon Athens Half Marathon (April, flat coastal Faliro)
10km: Athens Health Run (February, Schinias), RunGreece Piraeus (October, harbour)
Marathon: Athens Marathon The Authentic (November), point-to-point from the original Marathon battlefield to the Panathenaic Stadium

The coastal routes at Faliro and Schinias offer the fastest conditions. The city centre routes are slower (traffic, corners, some elevation) but worth running at least once for the experience.

How to Plan Your Athens Running Season

The Athens running calendar 2026 is one of the busiest in Greece, spread across the full year. A few things worth knowing:

Winter (Jan–Feb): solid trail options before the heat arrives, plus a couple of quality road races including the Schinias half marathon.
Spring (Mar–Apr): the peak period. Athens Half Marathon and Poseidon for road runners, Ymittos and Poikilo for trail runners.
Summer gap: almost nothing from late June to September. Reasonable, given what Athens temperatures do in August.
Autumn: Spartathlon in late September, RunGreece Piraeus in October, then the Athens Classic Marathon in November to close the year properly.

Check individual event pages for registration deadlines. They vary, and some close well before race day.

Athens and Attica have many more running events beyond what's covered here — smaller road races, neighbourhood runs, charity events and trail series throughout the year. Check our Athens events page for the full list.