An open letter to the International Spartathlon Association

It is with a heavy heart that I feel compelled to write this blog. I am writing this in a purely personal capacity and not under the aegis of any organization. I want to highlight how long I have been involved in  Spartathlon and how that contributes for my request to allow the international runners to apply for the SIMPLE PARTICIPATION package. 

I have been involved with Spartathlon since 2011. I had just completed my first big ultra, the  Ultrabalaton , which was at the time, a 212km race circumnavigating Lake Balaton  in the west of Hungary. My fellow runner, Mark Wooley told me I had qualified for Spartathlon. I was amazed. I had heard of this race back in the 1980s, but I had never thought that I would be able to qualify for it, let alone run it. 

Mark put me touch with a bunch of runners from the UK who were similarly interested.  I felt quite privileged to be in such illustrious company. Back in those days social media was not so poisonous, and I soon corresponded with the likes of Allan Rumbles, James Adams, James Elson and the great Mark Cockbain. 

I entered the 2012 edition of Spartathlon at a cost of €400. In those days it didn't over subscribe like now.  In fact, Stuart Shipley, who created that years British shirts, told me that in Noughties you could apply for Spartathlon in late summer as there were so many places available. 

I arrived in Gyfada and did my best, but DNF'd at only 70km.  I didn't even get to Hellas Can, but I made lifelong friends.  Lawerence Chownsmith who pulled at a similar point to name one.

By 2013 I met Nick Papageorge who had been on the original expedition in 1983 with John Foden, but we both failed

In 2014 I featured in a film with Nick, Mark and a nurse called Angela.  There was some numpty called Dean in it as well, I wonder what ever happened to him.

In 2015 I finally finished.  It was also the first year I did the kits for the British Spartathlon team. The previous year Mark Wooley had got an energy company to sponsor the kit, but we were told off for having a sponsor’s name on the kits.  I got around this by not only providing two runners tops in white, but also red crew tops on which we printed the sponsors logos.  Ever since then the British Spartathlon Team have had sponsored kits free of charge to runners and crews. I am pleased to see that other nations copied our idea.

In 2017 we did a memorial top for John Foden and encourage every other national team to do the same.

In 2022 we went legit and founded the BST Community Interest Company, of which I am still a Director. 

One of the guiding principles of the BST is the spirit of inclusiveness that we took from the ethos of Spartathlon.  It even says on the BST website that to join the BST you only need to send a picture of you holding a British Passport, you don't even need to have one. We have had Americans, Italians and South Africans in the team. 

The British crews will help anyone on the road to Sparta with no fear or favour. I love the inclusiveness and everyone helping each other without the need for recognition or reward. 

Many of the British Team and indeed other international runners have booked their own accommodation for themselves and their crews. This is a bit sad as they miss out on the camaraderie  of all the runners and crews in the same accommodation. But due to the rising costs shown below it is understandable   It also saves the International Spartathlon Association the administration and costs of arranging  that accommodation.

This is the history of the "EXTRA" package cost (mandatory for ALL runners) since 2012:

2012   400 € 

2013    400 € 

2014     450 €

2015     500 €

2016     520 €

2017     520 €

2018     600 €

2019     600 €

2020     600 €

2021     600 €

2022     700 €

2023     800 €

2024     950 €

2025     1250 €.  

Thus, I am disappointed that the International Spartathlon Association have introduced higher pricing for non-Greek runners. I fear this will discourage participation in what is, in my humble opinion the best race in the world. To enter from abroad an international runners must pay the mandatory EXTRA package at a cost of €1250  It's a lot, and by far the biggest increase in Spartathlon’ s history.  That seems to be against the ethos of the race that Greek runners can apply for the SIMPLE PARTICIPATION package for €450 and the international runners have to pay an additional €800 for the EXTRA package

I respectfully appeal to the International Spartathlon Association to allow international runners to also be  able to apply for the SIMPLE PARTICIPATION package.