Athens Marathon vs Half vs Poseidon: which to run
Athens hosts several distinct road races across the year, from the historic November Marathon to the coastal Poseidon Half Marathon in spring. This guide compares month, distance and course character for six of the city’s best-known races, so you can pick the one that actually fits what you are looking for.
Athens Marathon, The Authentic — November
The 43rd Athens Marathon takes place over the weekend of 7–8 November 2026. The Marathon itself starts on Sunday, 8 November at 08:30 in the town of Marathon and finishes at the Panathenaic Stadium.
The same weekend includes a 10K (Sunday, 08:00), a 5K (Saturday, 17:00), the Universities Night Run 5K (Saturday, 20:00) and a Kids Race over 1.2K (Saturday, 16:00) — all finishing at the same stadium.
Athens Half Marathon (SEGAS) — March
The 14th Athens Half Marathon was organised by SEGAS with the Municipality of Athens and took place on Sunday, 8 March 2026. The headline distance was the full half marathon (21.097 km) through the city’s historic centre, with the event’s own page citing 40 historic monuments along the route; a 5K race and a Family Run were also offered. The race has already concluded, with Bitados winning in a new course record; the organiser has not yet announced a date for the 15th edition.
There is no separate bib2bib catalog entry because the organiser has not yet announced a date for the 15th edition — the only known date (8 March 2026, 14th edition) has already passed. The details here come directly from the official athinahalfmarathon.gr site.
International Poseidon Half Marathon — spring
The 18th International Poseidon Athens Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, 25 April 2027 at Faliron Bay, running along the coastal Poseidon Avenue. Besides the half marathon (21.1 km), it offers a quarter marathon, a 5K run, a 5K power walk, a kids run, the "ALMA" charity race and a two-person half-marathon relay.
The official announcement publishes specific per-race caps: up to 5,000 entries for the half marathon, up to 5,000 for the quarter marathon, up to 3,000 for the 5K run, up to 3,000 for the 5K power walk, up to 600 for the kids race and up to 400 for the "ALMA" charity race.
Lycabettus Run — trail inside the city
The 12th Lycabettus Run takes place on 21 February 2027 on Lycabettus Hill. The road races (5.5 and 11 km) circle the hill on asphalt, while the trail races (4.5 and 9 km) cross the hill’s interior up to its summit, with significant elevation change and uneven terrain.
The organiser has set a strict cap of 2,000 participants for the race.
Greece Race for the Cure — a community event
Greece Race for the Cure® takes place on Sunday, 4 October 2026 at Pedion tou Areos, with a 5K race at 08:45 and a 2K walk at 10:30, plus a digital-participation option.
It is a breast-cancer awareness and support event, with proceeds benefiting Alma Zois programmes — closer to a community celebration than a purely competitive race.
Penny Marathon Athens — non-competitive
The 15th Penny Marathon Athens also takes place on Sunday, 4 October 2026, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, offering 1K and 10K distances for running, walking or even cycling.
The organiser describes it as "a non-competitive celebration," free and volunteer-run, aimed at raising awareness of stray animals in Greece — not at times or rankings.
The comparison at a glance
- Upcoming races with a known date, in chronological order from today: Greece Race for the Cure & Penny Marathon (4 October 2026, same day) → Athens Marathon (7–8 November 2026) → Lycabettus Run (21 February 2027) → Poseidon (25 April 2027). The Athens Half Marathon (normally March) has already been held for 2026 — the next date has not been announced.
- Longest official distance: Athens Marathon, at 42.195 km
- Two full half-marathon (21+ km) options: Athens Half Marathon (city centre; the 2026 edition has already concluded, next date TBA) and Poseidon (seaside, next running 25 April 2027)
- The only route with a serious climb and descent inside the city: Lycabettus Run
- Non-competitive/charity character: Greece Race for the Cure and Penny Marathon Athens
Who each race suits
The Athens Marathon suits runners who want the historic Marathon-to-Panathenaic-Stadium route and a large, multi-day event with several distances running in parallel.
The Athens Half Marathon (SEGAS) suits runners who want to race through the city’s historic centre, past its monuments, on a fast, flat course — however, the 2026 edition has already taken place and the next date has not yet been announced, so it is not currently a bookable option.
The Poseidon race suits those who prefer a seaside course next to the water, with more distance options (from 5K up to a half marathon) and a family/charity component.
The Lycabettus Run suits those looking for a trail character and a genuine climb inside the city, in a small, capped-entry event.
Greece Race for the Cure and Penny Marathon Athens suit those who want to take part in an event built around a social or charitable cause, rather than one focused on competition or finish time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between the Athens Marathon and the Athens Half Marathon?
Distance, month and route: the Athens Marathon is 42.195 km in November, from the town of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium, while the Athens Half Marathon is 21.097 km in March through the city’s historic centre, organised by SEGAS (the 2026 edition has already taken place; the next date has not been announced).
When is the Poseidon Athens Half Marathon?
The 18th International Poseidon Half Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, 25 April 2027, at Faliron Bay.
Which race runs through the city centre and which runs by the sea?
The Athens Half Marathon crosses the historic city centre, while the Poseidon race runs along the coastal Poseidon Avenue at Faliron Bay.
Is the Lycabettus Run suitable for every runner?
The road categories (5.5 and 11 km) circle the hill on asphalt, while the trail categories (4.5 and 9 km) climb to the summit with significant elevation change — which category fits depends on whether someone is looking for a flat or a hilly course.
What sets Penny Marathon Athens apart from the other races on this list?
It is explicitly non-competitive, free and volunteer-run, aimed at raising awareness for stray animals — finish time and ranking are not the focus.
Which race has the largest officially stated participation?
The largest officially stated participation is the 30,000-entry cap for the Athens Marathon weekend’s own 5K Road Race (the Marathon’s official registration page publishes per-race caps: 25,000 Marathon, 17,000 10K, 30,000 5K, 3,000 Universities Night Run, 3,000 Kids Race). The Athens Half Marathon’s page separately stated a target of 25,000 runners for the 8 March 2026 edition — a stated pre-race expectation, not a confirmed final count. Specific numbers are also published for the other races: 15,000 slots for the Greece Race for the Cure 5K, 2,000 for the Lycabettus Run, and per-race caps of 400–5,000 for the Poseidon races; only Penny Marathon Athens publishes no number at all.
