Woodlands Villager - Sports
Three friends run race at fabled Greek site
 |
| From left to right, Drs. Ron Henry, John Giannakis and Paul Kenworthy stand near the starting line of the Athens Classic Marathon in Marathonas, Greece. |
By SCOTT COONS
It was a run for the ages for the three urologists, friends and business partners from The Woodlands.
Drs. John Giannakis, Ron Henry, and Paul Kenworthy were still awe-inspired last week after traveling to Marathonas, Greece, Nov. 9 to run the Athens Classic Marathon, the original 26.2 miles that gave the competitive foot race known as the marathon its name and significance.
“This was a great experience,” Henry said. “It was almost like running through history.”
The course was laid between the site of the ancient Greek battle at Marathon and Athens, following the path of the original marathon not only run at the first modern Olympic Games, but roughly following the path believed to be taken by a historical soldier in 490 B.C. who carried news of a Greek victory over the Persians to his home city.
The run begins in Marathonas, Greece, according to the website www.athensclassicmarathon.gr. The city is famous as the home of the Olympic flame, which is run across the world to herald the opening of the modern Olympic Games. The race ends in Panathinaiko Stadium, an ancient Olympic stadium in Athens. Along the path, runners pass through a memorial site to the historical battle of marathon.
“You keep envisioning that original run during the first Olympics. It’s inspiring,” said Giannakis.
Although Kenworthy and Henry had trained and run in several other marathons, Giannakis, who was born in Greece, was the real weight behind their decision to fly to the site of the original run.
“They’d been pushing for me to run a marathon for years,” Giannakis said, “so I told them if I’m going to run one of these it’s going to be the real thing. The original.”
The doctors had known each other for more than 20 years, and they figured this would be a fantastic way to spend time with their friends and co-workers.
“It was a special trip,” Henry said. “The experience of running the marathon with good friends was great.”
The run was scheduled right after Giannakis’ 50th birthday, a milestone which spurred the urologists to take the challenge.
In terms of time and placement, marathon runners are typically split into increments spanning five years of age; for example, ages 50-54. This meant Giannakis, who had played soccer all his life but never seriously trained for a long distance run, would be the optimum age for his bracket.
Despite his greenhorn status, Giannakis finished the marathon in a respectable four hours and 30 minutes.
“My wife said, ‘I’ve never seen you so nervous’ as I was right before the marathon. But it ended up being fun,” he said.
Kenworthy and Henry finished in three hours, 20 minutes and four hours, 59 minutes, respectively. Kenworthy has been participating in marathons and triathlons for some time. His normal yearly training regimen consists of a base line level of running and one or two short triathlons a year. The annual Thanksgiving Day Run Thru the Woods has become a tradition for his family, having participated in it since 1997.
“Every race you run, amidst all the soreness afterward, you really find yourself feeling thankful for having the ability to perform such activities,” Kenworthy said.
Kenworthy was able to describe the marathon from a more experienced standpoint. “This is typically a much slower marathon because of the hills,” he said. “They aren’t steep, but at one point there is a steady climb for a full seven to eight miles.”
Henry has participated in marathons in places like Boston, Paris and Bordeaux, France, before the run in Greece. This year, he set himself a goal of beating a five-hour time, which he managed to do by a minute. After finishing this marathon, as with the others he’d run before, Henry described a strong feeling of accomplishment.
“You’ve set a goal, you’ve prepared for it and you’ve made it,” he said.
Drs. John Giannakis, Ron Henry, and Paul Kenworthy were still awe-inspired last week after traveling to Marathonas, Greece, Nov. 9 to run the Athens Classic Marathon, the original 26.2 miles that gave the competitive foot race known as the marathon its name and significance.
“This was a great experience,” Henry said. “It was almost like running through history.”
The course was laid between the site of the ancient Greek battle at Marathon and Athens, following the path of the original marathon not only run at the first modern Olympic Games, but roughly following the path believed to be taken by a historical soldier in 490 B.C. who carried news of a Greek victory over the Persians to his home city.
The run begins in Marathonas, Greece, according to the website www.athensclassicmarathon.gr. The city is famous as the home of the Olympic flame, which is run across the world to herald the opening of the modern Olympic Games. The race ends in Panathinaiko Stadium, an ancient Olympic stadium in Athens. Along the path, runners pass through a memorial site to the historical battle of marathon.
“You keep envisioning that original run during the first Olympics. It’s inspiring,” said Giannakis.
Although Kenworthy and Henry had trained and run in several other marathons, Giannakis, who was born in Greece, was the real weight behind their decision to fly to the site of the original run.
“They’d been pushing for me to run a marathon for years,” Giannakis said, “so I told them if I’m going to run one of these it’s going to be the real thing. The original.”
The doctors had known each other for more than 20 years, and they figured this would be a fantastic way to spend time with their friends and co-workers.
“It was a special trip,” Henry said. “The experience of running the marathon with good friends was great.”
The run was scheduled right after Giannakis’ 50th birthday, a milestone which spurred the urologists to take the challenge.
In terms of time and placement, marathon runners are typically split into increments spanning five years of age; for example, ages 50-54. This meant Giannakis, who had played soccer all his life but never seriously trained for a long distance run, would be the optimum age for his bracket.
Despite his greenhorn status, Giannakis finished the marathon in a respectable four hours and 30 minutes.
“My wife said, ‘I’ve never seen you so nervous’ as I was right before the marathon. But it ended up being fun,” he said.
Kenworthy and Henry finished in three hours, 20 minutes and four hours, 59 minutes, respectively. Kenworthy has been participating in marathons and triathlons for some time. His normal yearly training regimen consists of a base line level of running and one or two short triathlons a year. The annual Thanksgiving Day Run Thru the Woods has become a tradition for his family, having participated in it since 1997.
“Every race you run, amidst all the soreness afterward, you really find yourself feeling thankful for having the ability to perform such activities,” Kenworthy said.
Kenworthy was able to describe the marathon from a more experienced standpoint. “This is typically a much slower marathon because of the hills,” he said. “They aren’t steep, but at one point there is a steady climb for a full seven to eight miles.”
Henry has participated in marathons in places like Boston, Paris and Bordeaux, France, before the run in Greece. This year, he set himself a goal of beating a five-hour time, which he managed to do by a minute. After finishing this marathon, as with the others he’d run before, Henry described a strong feeling of accomplishment.
“You’ve set a goal, you’ve prepared for it and you’ve made it,” he said.
Copyright © 2009 - Houston Community Newspapers Online