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Charlie Chaplin’s granddaughter, Kiera Chaplin, will be one of the tens of thousands of participants in the 30^th Classic Marathon, which will take place in Athens this Sunday. She will take part in the 5 km distance and says that she is very proud of being able to be part of the sports event.
 
26 thousand enthusiasts and professional athletes will take part in the race, which is dedicated this year to the centenary of the birth of the Greek politician, athlete and champion of peace, George Lambrakis. The number of volunteers in the organization is more than 1,800 and those working for the event number 4,000 people. 160 buses will transport the participants to the Marathon.

The classic route will start from the Marathon region at nine o'clock in the morning. The participants will start the race from the same place, from where messenger Pheidippides had left in 496 BC in order to go 42 km to Athens to announce the end of the Greco-Persian War, and then passed away.

The record in the modern history of the Classic Marathon is two hours, ten minutes and fifty-five seconds. The best time was achieved by Stefanos Balanatis, an Olympic champion from the Games held in Athens in 2004.

The 10 km route will start at 9.15 am from Panathinaikos Stadium. The 5 km marathon will start from the same place, but 45 minutes earlier. The shorter routes will go by the military museum in Athens, Parliament and the Acropolis, and back to the stadium. According to the latest information, the Marathon will involve 50 enthusiasts from New York, who could not run the marathon in Manhattan because of the devastation caused by Sandy typhoon.

Athens Classic Marathon has a charitable programme in support of disadvantaged people. The funds that it will raise will go to donations to various organizations - "Medecins du Monde," "Step Forward for the Child with Disabilities", "MAKE A WISH HELLAS" and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Experts advise the participants in the Marathon to be equipped with appropriate running sportswear, comfortable running shoes and to not focus on speed.