The Messinian land constitutes a special and historic place for the Greek Revolution of 1821. It is a region where some of the most important battles were given, such as the battle of Sphacteria, in Niokastro, the battle of Maniaki, which cost the life to the Greek hero Papaflessas, but also the naval battle of Navarino which essentially sealed the end of the Revolution and marked the liberation of Greece, resulting in the establishment of the modern Greek state.

We honor history by running

The region of Messinia led the Greek War of Independence, with chiefs and politicians originating from the specific area, while their descendants still play a leading role in the political and social life of Greece. On the eve of the 1821 Revolution, where revolutionary upheaval prevailed throughout Greece and mainly in the Peloponnese, with the start of the Revolution already being decided, Messinia contributed with a number of warlords and fighters who had been initiated for the purposes of the Philiki Eteria “Friendly Society”, such as Theodoros Kolokotronis, Grigorios Dikaios or Papaflessas, Nikitaras, Anagnostaras, Papatsonis and many more.

The event honors these great heroes of 1821 who led the War battles to the liberation of Greece. The greatest moment in the history of Messinia and especially of Kalamata was the liberation of the city on March 23, 1821, when the Greek chiefs, with the assistance of the fighters from Mani under the leader Petrobey Mavromichalis, entered the city and liberated it.

Τhe event highlights the values ​​of the heroes who covered long distances on foot with great vigor and self-denial in order to fight and move from city to city, comparing these values with the ones that we find today in the long distant running. After all, running is a sport that was born in Greece. A long-distance race demands much more from the athlete than the shorter distance races, not only physically but mainly psychologically and mentally. This race, taking place on the mountains offers the athlete the opportunity to experience situations that no other road race can offer. The challenge is great, as so is the reward. In Run Messinia, each athlete competes not only with other runners, but also with the mountain and nature itself, as well as his own personal boundaries. The event came to highlight the importance of overcoming adversities and never quitting, values synonymous with those of the 1821 Revolution and Greek History in general. As the athletes consider it impossible to achieve the 10 marathons in total within 10 days, similarly, people considered the result of the Revolution historically impossible.