Before I start to think about the practicalities of actually running 153 hot and hilly miles I want to say something about the Spartathlon website.

It is (resists awful pun) quite basic but very functional, all the information you need about the race and it's history is there. No compromise on content for the sake of flashy videos and adverts. Just like the race I hope, just the way I like it.

One thing I do quite like (or hate, I really can't decide right now) is it's apparent celbration for the failed runners. There is a list that draws attention to those who have attempted the most and not finished. How many times do you think someone would fail to finish this race before calling it quits? Two times? Three? Five?

ELEVEN???

Two people have started this race eleven times each and not finished. I can't imagine what they must be thinking when inevitabily they line up for the 12th time. There are several others who have "only" attempted it half a dozen times. Many seem to have given up.

Most starts and no finishes

AKAKTSE	HEL	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1992
ARGYROPOULOS ELEFT	HEL	1987	1988	1991	1992	1993	1997
ANTONOPOULOS PANAG	HEL	1992	1993	1994	2004	2005
ASTERIS THEODOROS	HEL	1998	1999	2000	2001	2003	2005
BEVERATOS	HEL	1991	1992	1994	1996	1997	1998	1999
BESSARD	SWI	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996
CSAMANGO	HUN	1987	1988	1989	1994	1995	1996
CLOSSET	FRA	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
GIANNOU	HEL	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1992	1993	1994
GEMES	HUN	1990	1992	1993	1996	2000
GRIZARD	FRA	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
HATZIS	HEL	1998	2002	2003	2004	2005
HYTAS	HEL	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
HOSHIKO KOMURO	JPN	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2004
KARACHRISTOS	HEL	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
KELLY TERENS	GBR	1999	2000	2001	2003	2004
LAPOSI	HUN	1999	2001	2002	2003	2005
MIHOPOULOS	HEL	1983	1984	1987	1988	1989	1992
MARIAUX	SWI	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996
NAKOS	HEL	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
TOSHIO OHMORI	JPN	1994	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
PALMQVIST	SWE	1994	1995	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
TOSHIKAZU SUEMATSU	JPN	1993	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
SAVVA	CYP	1996	1997	1998	2000	2001	2002	2003
RAMINA	FRA	1994	1995	1996	1998	1999	2000	2001
SHINICHI SHOBOU	JPN	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
TSEKOURAS THEODOROS	HEL	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
KEIKO WATANABE	JPN	1990	1991	1992	1994	1996

It will take me a long time to get on this list. I hope to rule myself out of making this list on the first attempt.

Anyway, this is all distracting me from preparing for the race. 78 checkpoints and I need to decide and prepare exactly what I will be putting at each of them.

And I've just looked at the map again. It's a fucking long way....

RunningandStuff