The founding of our association.

Let's go back a few years where gradually some friends and acquaintances were originally from Chios, started at first slowly to walk, walk and then to run, until we gained the ability to run in public health races as well. Two years ago, the group grew a lot, due to the 2500th anniversary of the Athens Marathon. From then on, the facts change daily.

In recent years, the number of health athletes throughout Greece have been increasing by leaps and bounds, associations are being founded, special seminars and races of medium, long distances and ultra-distances are being organized. Every weekend all over Greece there are 2 to 7 races. Athletes that run as a hobby range from the age of 18 to over 70. The majority of them are between the ages of 35 to 65 years old. Three years ago, there were very few runners in each race approximately 60-100. Today there are races with 300 to 2000 runners. Up until 2004 there were barely 300 Greeks running in the Marathon, while in recent years, along with the 5km and 10km races, the number of Greek runners was 15,000. There are over 50,000 Greek runners running in health races. Based on global statistics, 9-10 million runners run in all Marathons in the world, of which 3-4 million travel abroad combining it with family vacations. In races and triathlon races that take place abroad, 1 to 100 Greek runners/triathletes participate in each race. Sports tourism has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Hundreds of health runners run from city to city and from rural areas to participate in races domestically and abroad.

Our interests include running-cycling-swimming, combined with proper nutrition and a lot of sensitivity in health matters. The original group that decided to found the association and that are involved in running, triathlon races as a hobby and run in Marathons and triathlons in Greece and abroad, are 54 men and women from Chios.

The reason for the founding of our Association was a tragic event, the death of our fellow Marathon runner Giorgos Papadis. He was the first of our group to accomplish long distance running. He has run the authentic Marathon route 3 times, a Marathon in Rome and one in Messini. Naturally he ran many half marathon races as well as many races of 20 km, 10 km, etc. He was our mentor, advising us, encouraging us, and helping us with his knowledge. We ran in many races together and covered quite a few kilometers. His last race was on May 1st 2011 at the Flisvos (Posidonio) half marathon.

THE PURPOSE OF THE ASSOCIATION

The main purpose of our association is: the physical and mental development of its members regardless of age. To spread the idea of athletics to everyone, so that they engage in sports with the intent of maintaining and improving their health, as well as their quality of life (without reaching the limits of human endurance) and for our members to develop a better relationship with nature.