Cork runner Alex O'Shea is the first of the Irish home in the 250km Spartathlon Ultra

Well done to Cork runner Alex O'Shea who finished his very first Spartathlon 250km Ultra last weekend in a time of 28 hours and 40 minutes!

The race follows the route of the legendary Pheidippides who is said to have run from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of the victory of the battle of Marathon in 490 BC.

According to the event website..."The idea for its creation is belongs to John Foden, a British RAF Wing Commander. As a lover of Greece and student of ancient Greek history, Foden stopped his reading of Herodotus' narration regarding Pheidippides, puzzled and wondering if a modern man could cover the distance from Athens to Sparta, i.e. 250 kms, within 36 hours."

Out of the 167 finishers, these are the ones with an Irish interest....

26 O Shea Alex 126 Ireland 2021-09-25 11:40:53 28:40:12

27 Espina Rolando 98 Philippines 2021-09-25 11:42:23 28:41:41 (Living in Dublin)

28 Higgins Alastair 110 United Kingdom 2021-09-25 11:45:16 28:44:59 (Living in Dublin)

97 Jennings Anne 57 Ireland 2021-09-25 17:38:06 34:37:26

163 Lee Anthony 52 Ireland 2021-09-25 18:50:54 35:50:13

The winner of the 2021 Spartathlon was Fotis Zisimopoulos from Greece winning in a time of 21:57:36. This was the second fastest time by a Greek ultrarunner and the last Greek to win the event was way back in 1998.

Anne Jennings & Anthony Lee in the early stage of the event

Thanks to John O'Regan who provides the following info...

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Cork-born John McCarthy was one of three Royal Air Force officers who successfully took part in a trial run in 1982 to see if it was possible to follow in Pheidippides’s steps. The first international Spartathlon was held the following year.

Spartathlon finishers from Ireland with the years completed: 12 Men & 4 Women

Eddie Gallen = Most finishes Men *4

Anne Jennings = Most finishes Women *2

Eoin Keith = Fastest (M) 26:37:50

Doina Nugent =Fastest (W) 30:58:22

Irish finishers of the Spartathlon Ultra