2011 Athens Classic Marathon Photos & Video (Registration and Race Day)

New PB at the 10km of the 2011 Athens Classic Marathon

Another amazing race at this year's Athens Classic Marathon took place on the 13th Nov 2011 . Despite the cold, wind and rainy conditions, I was able to set up a new PB for the 10km race!

Time: 51:27 (5 km split time 26:49)
Rank: 705 (out of 3758)
(Last year's 10 km finish time: 53:58, Time improvement: 2:31)

(You can check more 2011 Athens Classic Marathon results)

My current body weight: 99.5 kg (height: 1.93 m)
Current body fat %: 20.5 %
Calories burned: 899 kcal
Max. HR:182
Avg. HR:170
HR Zones worked: About 98% at zone 5 based on Karnoven Method


I hadn't really prepared for this race at all! My training sessions are mainly based on indoor rowing and cycling. Swimming and running is included, but there is less of attention. Of course, well trained runners may find my time slow (I agree), but considering my body shape I am not build for running.

THE END: Schiniathlon Triathlon Organisation has now ended (for ever...) :(

We are all shocked with Schiniathlon Team's decision to terminate the continuation of the triathlon races, however we all understand the driving force behind this (read article at the end of this post).

Schiniathlon has been the only organisation in Greece to provide events for the rapidly growing number of amateur triathletes.

The next and only available option for an athlete to participate in an triathlon event in Greece is through the Hellenic Triathlon Federation - which, unfortunately, it is not amateur oriented, hence leaving outside several hundred of part-time competitors and at the same, indirectly damaging Schiniathlon's races as justified by Schiniathlon's closing letter at the end of this post. This letter confirms the valueless presence of the public sector in Greece (i.e. Ministry of Sport's, etc.) and who, once again, managed to eliminate this great sport from the amateur groups with their endless bureaucratic obstacles.

On my personal side, Schiniathlon had positively shaped my lifestyle and it was the meaning for me training hard and always looking for the next event's challenge.

We will all miss Schiniathlon and we will always remember how well it took care of us with its exceptionally well organised and gracious races.

Read here the full closing letter of Schiniathlon Team from the Schiniathlon Official Website or read it below:

STOLEN: My bike is gone!!! 150 euro reward is given

Well, there are no words to describe the mess this has done to me. My first ever race bike is now STOLEN. The theft took place on the night of 1st Oct. 2011. The bike was locked in my fenced yard (stupid, it should have been IN the house).

I thought it might help to post the incident on my blog, too. What's worse is that, I missed the final and most important to me Tri Race of the year, which I was preparing for more than 4 months now.

Please, if you can help me recover it - I GIVE 150 EURO REWARD. No questions asked.

Manufacturer: SCOTT
Model: Speedster S 50 (Flatbar)
Size: 58 cm (XL)
Colour: White
Place stolen: Halandri (in Athens), see google map at end of this post.

Characteristic: (i) Perhaps, the only bike in Greece with installed aerobar
on flat-bar handlebar (ii) Bright, white colour appearance (too white not
to spot it).

Contact me at:  e-mail: cplia AT hotmail DOT com .

Below: Photo of the stolen bike.






















Below: Area the bike was stolen from.

View Larger Map

Revisited: Post race photo coverage - 10km 2010 Athens Classic Marathon Day

Click on any image below to view a full-size high resolution photo. I offer these photos for free to use as a thank for my visitors to this blog. I captured them from my Nokia X2 mobile phone.

Due to heavy demand and increased interest, additional photos have been added to guide people through the 2010 Athens Classic Marathon event and get a better idea of the atmosphere during that day. For this reason, I am also planning to create a photoalbum (hm...maybe ready until mid of June?), which when ready, I will uploaded it on this blog for the athletes to look through. Hope you enjoy the Marathon spirit and hope to see you in the coming 2011 Athens Classic Marathon Event too!

Hand held fat measuring device - a quick and accurate way to assess your body composition

Model: BF306
Manufacturer: Omron

Measurement parameters:

• Percentage (%) body fat composition
• BMI value
• body weight classification (e.g. normal, overweight, etc).

Measurement time: 10-12 seconds

Accuracy: 5 %. The accuracy is pretty good and it compares well to professional health care institute equipment results. A friend of mine measured her body fat content in clinics using a high class equipment, her body fat was 40.3 %. This hand held measuring device indicated 41%, which compared very well with the clinics value. So, I would say that its body fat content value can be relied upon with confidence.

Approximate cost (Amazon price, May 2011): 28.1 pounds (inc. VAT)

2010 Ford Ironman World Championship: The thrilling video

Click on any image below to watch the video!

Top 10 - Final Results 2010 Ford IM World Championship

1     08:10:37 McCormack, Chris
2     08:12:17 Raelert, Andreas
3     08:13:14 Vanhoenacker, Marino
4     08:16:53 Alexander, Craig
5     08:20:11 Tissink, Raynard
6     08:21:00 Bracht, Timo
7     08:22:02 Llanos, Eneko
8     08:22:59 Bockel, Dirk
9     08:23:26 Jacobs, Pete
10    08:24:04 Al-Sultan, Faris

2011 Triathlon Calendar in Greece: 'Schiniathlon' Series 2011 - www.schiniathlon.gr

For detailed info: www.schiniathlon.gr

First at 2010 (18th Dec.) Greek Indoor Rowing Championship - www.aasport.gr

The end of the season has eventually reached and now I can have a good rest after about 7 months of systematic training at various sports (windsurfing, triathlon, running, indoor rowing).

And nothing feels better than to end the 2010 with a first place at the Greek Indoor Rowing Championship, which this is what happened on the 18th of Dec!!! Best Xmas gift !!!

Distance: 1000 m (standard length for the Greek IRC)
Official finish time: 3.02.8 ( 0.4 secs off my last year's 2009 Greek national record and 2.4 seconds in front of the 2nd place!!! - tough competition this year)
1 st place at 30-39 division (between 15 full time rowers and technically experienced athletes from distinguished national rowing clubs)

Not a national record this time (I am NR holder since 2010), but considering the load of the racing schedule for this year (about one important race every 4-5 weeks since May) I am quite happy to conclude the 2010 this way.

I will rest for about 10 days and prepare the training season for the 2011 Greek Triathlon Race events: http://www.schiniathlon.gr/news-20101122.html

Photos from the Greek IRC will be posted shortly, in the meantime please check: www.aasport.gr and http://www.facebook.com/pages/C2-Indoor-Rowing/118432964891200 (my apologies for the delay but it's time for some celebration too!)

Cheers ;)

p.s: Indoor rowing best 2000 m: 6.38.7 ||| best 1000 m: 3.02.4

DETAILED RESULTS - 2010 GREEK IRC (1000m), www.aasport.gr

#|SURNAME and NAME | AGE | ROWING CLUB | TIME (min,secs)

1 ΠΛΙΑΚΟΣΤΑΘΗΣ ΚΩΣΤΑΣ 32 ΑΝΕΞΑΡΤΗΤΟΣ 3,02,8
2 ΠΑΣΙΟΥΔΗΣ ΑΝΤΩΝΗΣ 34 ΟΕΑΝΑΒ 3,05,2
3 ΓΚΟΥΒΕΛΟΣ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ 34 Ο.Ν.Α.Τ. 3,11,7
4 ΚΟΥΡΚΟΥΡΙΚΗΣ ΓΙΑΝΝΗΣ 38 Ν.Ο.Θ. 3,11,9
5 LIE EVENSEN TROND 39 ΠΡΟΤΥΠΟ 3,15,1
6 ΚΟΝΤΟΣ ΓΙΑΝΝΗΣ 39 ΑΝΕΞΑΡΤΗΤΟΣ 3,15,3
7 ΒΟΡΡΙΑΣ ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ 34 PRIMAL CROSSFIT 3,16,4
8 ΚΟΝΤΟΓΙΑΝΝΗΣ ΘΑΝΑΣΗΣ 38 ΑΝΕΞΑΡΤΗΤΟΣ 3,18,2
9 ΧΑΝΟΥΜΗΣ ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ 39 ΠΡΟΤΥΠΟ 3,20,4
10 ΜΠΑΡΟΥΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ 31 Γ.Ν.Ο.ΣΑΛΑΜΙΝΑΣ 3,33,7
11 ΣΠΑΝΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ ΧΡΗΣΤΟΣ 38 ΠΡΟΤΥΠΟ 3,33,7
12 ΚΑΛΥΒΑΣ ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ 30 ΠΡΟΤΥΠΟ 3,43,1
13 ΠΛΩΜΑΡΙΤΗΣ ΑΝΤΩΝΗΣ 32 PRIMAL CROSSFIT 3,44,6
14 ΧΑΤΖΗΧΡΙΣΤΟΦΑΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ 34 ΟΜΙΛΟΣ ΕΡΕΤΩΝ 3,50,2
15 ΧΑΤΖΗΣ ΑΝΔΡΕΑΣ 35 ΟΜΙΛΟΣ ΕΡΕΤΩΝ Α 4,14,9

2010 Athens Classic Marathon: Pre-race photo coverage!!

Registration time was a complete madness! Well, 21,000 competitors are expected to appear on the start line...so make sure you don't get squeezed or stepped over...



Course map: Study it carefully else go home


Some of the competitors' lists...must have been a nightmare for the organisers to deal with all this amount of information


Plenty of kiosks with sports and other relevant products at Zappion park, Athens, Greece before the 2010 Athens Classic Marathon

Aerobar on Flat Handle Bar Race Bike - Photo Review

Bike: Scott Speedster FB S50 (2010 model)
Aerobar: Profile Design Jammer GT (aerobar to fit in race bikes)

This is a special aerobar design appropriate for race bikes, i.e. it considers the fact that

Schiniathlon Tri-event (19 Sept. 2010) - Sprint Distance (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run)

(above: entering the 5km route)


(approaching the finish line...)

Results (out of the 135 competitors in total, see http://www.schiniathlon.gr/ for more info):
Swim: 41st position
Bike: 35th position
Run: 88th position
Overall: 52nd place (total time: 1 hour 26 min)

Well, I know that I've completely messed it up during the run, this section cost me a lot

My training (Tri staff and more) paradise, a quick photo tour !

Interesting books for triathlon and endurance sports