Alexandra Panayotou reaches her 1,000 kilometres, the equator of her extraordinary challenge

20/06/2009

The ultra-marathon runner Alexandra Panayotou who is running since last June 6 across half of Spain in order to promote the European Athletics Championships Barcelona 2010 will complete today half of her 2,010 kilometres in the leg that takes her to Logroño. Panayotou has set out this morning from El Villar de Arnedo, village with only 800 inhabitants which belongs to Calahorra region of La Rioja. The Greek athlete who is running 70 km daily will arrive in Logroño at 6:00p.m

Accompanied by a two people team who travel by caravan, Panayotou normally begins her days at 8:00 a.m and she run for 10 or 11 hours. After Logroño’s leg she will arrive in Vitoria, where, during the last kilometres, she will count on the company of Martín Fiz, former Marathon World champion, Priíncipe de Asturias prize and currently ambassador of Barcelona 2010.
 
“I have had a very difficult first week, as I already knew it could happen to me, but once I have entered into Aragon everything has changed, the body’s adaptation has to be overcome and right now everything in the right place. There have been very difficult legs, such as the Valencia’s one. It seemed to me that I was running in a frying pan. Or the Zaragoza’s one, with desert landscapes and a suffocating heat , but at some times there have been fantastic moments as when I had the company of some other athletes or when I have had unexpected visits as the one of Barni, Barcelona 2010 mascot, which was waiting for me in the Principe Felipe’s Pavilion in Zaragoza. It was wonderful”. Panayotou has summarised that every passing day she shares her experiences with all her fans in a blog. You may access go to Barcelona 2010 web page (www.bcn2010.org).
 
In her way back to Barcelona she will have to go through Pamplona, Huesca, Lleida and Girona as main cities. The runner goes on thinking of the possibility of  joining Girona and Barcelona in a single and definite effort of 130 kilometres to honour the cyclists who will cover that same leg three days later, when the Tour of France arrives into Barcelona. Panayotou’s arrival will be at the Olympic Stadium Lluís Companys of Montjuïc, also at about 6:00 p.m on July 6.