Yiannis Kouros

Yiannis Kouros (Greek: Γιάννης Κούρος, pronounced [ʝiˈa.nis ˈku.ros]; born 13 February 1956 in Tripoli, Kingdom of Greece) is a Greek ultramarathon runner based in Greece. He is sometimes given the epithets "Running god", "Pheidippides' Successor" or "Son of Pheidippides". Kouros holds many men's outdoor road world records from 100 to 1,000 miles and many road and track records from 12 hours to 6 days.[1][2] In 1991, he starred as Pheidippides in the movie The Story of the Marathon: A Hero's Journey, which chronicles the history of marathon running.

Yiannis Kouros

Yiannis Kouros in 2008
Personal information
Born	(1956-02-13) 13 February 1956 Tripoli, Kingdom of Greece
Website	http://www.yianniskouros.gr/index.php/en/
Sport
Sport	Track and Field
Event(s)	24-hour run, 48-hour run, 6-day race
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Marathon: 2:24:00 Spartathlon: 20:25:00 WR
Medal record Men's Ultramarathon (partial list) Adelaide 24-hour run 1997 Basel 24-hour run 1998 IAU 24 Hour World Championship 2001 Soochow University 24-hour run 2002 24-hour run San Giovanni Lupatoto 1999 24-hour run San Giovanni Lupatoto 2000 Surgères 48 Hour Race 1995 Surgères 48 Hour Race 1996 Surgères 48 Hour Race 1997 Surgères 48 Hour Race 2000 Surgères 48 Hour Race 2002 Surgères 48 Hour Race 2003 Surgères 48 Hour Race 2004 Australian Six Day Race – Colac 1984 Australian Six Day Race – Colac 2000 Cliff Young Australian 6-day race 2005 Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon 1985 Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon 1987 Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon 1989 Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon 1990 Athens to Sparta Run 1983 Athens to Sparta Run 1984 Athens to Sparta Run 1986 Athens to Sparta Run 1990

Kouros came to prominence when he won the Spartathlon in 1984 in record time[3] and the Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon in 1985 in a record time of 5 days, 5 hours, 7 minutes and 6 seconds. He beat the previous record held by Cliff Young.[4] Kouros held Australian citizenship for part of his running career and was inducted into the Australian Ultra Runners Association’s Hall of Fame in 2019.[5]

Concerning the secret of his success, Kouros claims, "when other people get tired, they stop. I don't. I take over my body with my mind. I tell it that it's not tired and it listens."

Kouros has also written over 1,000 poems, several of which appear in his books, Symblegmata ("Clusters") and The Six-Day Run of the Century.