Jón Gregersen, from Faroe Islands, came to Greece with a scholarship for the  “European Master in Sport and Exercise Psychology” (EMSEP) at the Department of Sport Sciences, University of Thessaly. He is now at his second year of his studies and working non-stop on his research thesis on self-talk in an experimental study using the Vienna Test System. Nevertheless, Jón found the time to prepare and run the Authentic Marathon of Athens and he is describing his experience as “fantastic”. 

We asked Jón to tell us a few words for his experience in the Authentic Marathon. Among other things Jón said:

"...the run itself made me feel like being at a great party!"

"Being part of such a big and professional event was an amazing experience"

"Although the legs were starting to get tired,

we could not stop getting carried away by the fantastic atmosphere"

We, all, in the family of EMSEP, are proud of the academic performance of our students and very happy when our students have the chance to collect unique experiences from their stay in Greece, like Jón did, but  most of all we are happy when they … just  have fun!

Thank you Jón for sharing your experiences and hope to see you again in the next marathon!

Jón wrote to us about his experience:

My name is Jón Gregersen and I am from the Faroe Islands. I am a second year EMSEP student at the University of Thessaly in Trikala. In recent years I have started to participate in various running events. I have participated in distances of 5 km, 10 km and 21,1 km (Half marathon). In March, I participated at the Kalambaka-Trikala half marathon, which truly was a great experience.

"However, as an international student, I feel that one cannot avoid 
considering participating in the authentic marathon 
from the city of Marathon to Athens"

During the summer this thought started to occur more frequently in my mind. In the beginning of August I decided to participate in the Athens authentic marathon. This meant that I had 3 months for the training. Also, my girlfriend decided to come for a visit in Greece, and to run the marathon.

Since this was my first ever Marathon I found it difficult to set a goal for a finishing time. Therefore I started training with the goal of finishing the marathon between 3:30-4.00 hours. As time went by and the day of the marathon got closer, I realized that finishing around 3:45 would be realistic but still challenging for me.

The day of the marathon arrived the 8th of November 2015. We woke up at 4.45 to have breakfast. At 5.15 we started walking towards Syntagma in Athens, from where we entered an official marathon bus that drove us 42,195 km away from the finish line – to the city of Marathon!

Photo: Jón and his girlfriend ,Anne,  both finished at the same time at the Panathenaic Stadium

"Are we really supposed to run the whole way back?”
was my first thought when we left the bus. 
Suddenly it seemed as a very long distance."

However, being part of such a big and professional event was an amazing experience. There was water and energy every 2,5 km, as well as people cheering and music playing along the route. When we arrived in Athens there were people everywhere. Although the legs were starting to get tired, we could not stop getting carried away by the fantastic atmosphere. The last kilometre really felt as the easiest one, and passing the finish line in the Panathinaiko Stadium was something very special. We finished the 42,195 km together in 3:40 hours.

"Although the route seemed very long
when we had left the bus earlier in the morning, 
the run itself made me feel like being at a great party 
that lasted for 3 hours and 40 minutes."

I would recommend everyone interested in running to participate in the Athens Authentic Marathon.

"Finishing the marathon while being a student in Greece 
will be a memory I will never forget!"

                             photo:  Anne before the marathon