What is ultrarunning A terminology statement of Ultra-running

Δαφνηφόρεια, Τέμπη-Δελφοί, 275χλμ
Ο Γiάννης Κούρος, συνοδεία ενός Γάλλου συναθλητή του, τρέχει τη δαφνηφόρεια διαδρομή που γινόταν στην αρχαιότητα για τον εξαγνισμό του θεού του φωτός. Η διαδρομή θα καλυφθεί σε 3 ημερήσιες πορείες (16/7 Τέμπη-Δομοκός, 17/7 Δομοκός-Γραβιά και 18/7 Γραβιά Δελφοί)
Τα περάσματα:
16/07/2009
06:00 Έναρξη πορείας από διόδια Τεμπών
07:15 Διασταυρωση Γυρτωνης 14ο χλμ.
07:53 Εργοστασιο ζαχαρεως 21,8 χλμ.
08:07 Διασταυρωση παλ. Εθνικη Bολου 26,2 χλμ.
09:07 Νικαια Λαρισας37 χλμ.
10:37 Ζαπειο 49,5 χλμ.
12:55 Φάρσαλα 72 χλμ.
15:00 Βρυσιά - Νέο Μοναστήρι 85 χλμ. (Θερμοκρασία 35oC)
17:21 Δομοκος τελος 1ου σκελους. (Θερμοκρασια 38oC)

Κούρεια 2009, Κυριακή 12 Ιουλίου στη Βλαχοκερασιά Αρκαδίας

YIANNIS KOUROS...
"The legend of Ultra-Distance Running"

He is known as the "Running God", "Golden Greek", "Pheidippides Successor", "World Record Breaker", "Unstoppable", and as the "Master of Pain". He is undefeated in any continuous world-class ultra-marathon competition beyond 100 miles. He holds every record from 100 miles to 1,000 miles, from 200 km to 1,600 km, and from 1 day to 10 days. Many of his fans have dedicated poems to him and hundreds of legendary stories have been told about his achievements. Ultra-running is not an Olympic event yet and does not get enough recognition from athletic bodies and journalists for being the athletic pinnacle that it is, but Yiannis Kouros forgives these people, "because they do not know the greatness of our sport". (Colac, Vic. Australia, Dec. 2, 1984)

Latest News & Results.

Kouros conquers Hungarian heat and humidity from Tihany to Tihany in 212-kilometer Ultrabalaton.
Yiannis Kouros outdoes himself yet again in the heat and humidity of Hungary... Click here for the full story.

Kouros keeps rewriting record books in Bornholm (433,095km in 48h)
After winning real ultra races with new records in Brno (Czech Republic), Ciserano (Italy), and Gols (Austria) earlier this spring, Yiannis Kouros continued rewriting the record books of ultra running in Bornholm, Danemark, by breaking his own latest 48-Hour World Record set earlier in May (422.630km), covering now 433.095km. En route he also broke some other overall World Records (300km, 200 miles, 36 hours and 400km) which stand as 50+ age group records as well, in addition to his 24-hour split, which is the new 50+ age group record (266.596km). The old record had been set by Etienne van Acker, (Belgium) in October 2003 (264.967km).
Kouros' series of high level back-to-back performances proves that within 55 days he was able not just to win, but also to achieve great performances, especially in his last two 48-hour races where he set new world records, without letting his body recover completely from injuries and muscular fatigue. To most people this is something beyond comprehension if we take into consideration that most of marathon runners do not dare to participate in two marathons within such a short time, but Yiannis completed four victorious Ultras. In those four races he covered 1524km.
In spite of the fact that Yiannis had not completely recovered to his racing fitness and had to stop to take care of his blisters caused by the debris of the course in Bornholm, he was satisfied with his overall readiness to perform and announced after the finish that if the race course had been flat, his performance could have been much stronger and probably could have exceeded 480km. In reality the loop of the course was 1450 meters long -changed in the last moment from 1000 meters- and half of it (725meters) was uneven asphalt and the other half was a cross-country kind of path in the woods. Both sides were hilly and the return corners turned almost 360 degrees, resulting in slower speed and blisters.
It has been Yiannis' observation that even if race directors inform him that the courses are flat and fast, in an attempt to convince him to come and take part, he is unhappy as in reality he is not lucky with the courses, because a great effort is wasted without showing Yiannis' real potential, as he wishes and he deserves.
In spite of all that, Yiannis is indebted to all his supporters for the time and effort they devoted to his success of this year running events and especially the last one.
What else? Just after the race in Bornholm, he returned the same day in Copenhagen and then next morning back to Athens, Greece in order to be in Nafplion -Greace's old Capital- for a motivation talk, addressed to Y.P.O. members from Unites States, after claiming together the 999 steps of Palamidi castle.
The week after the 48h race, and before returning to any training pattern, he participated in a hilly Half Marathon race from Ancient Mycenae to Argos in order to honour a co-athlete, wining his age group category with 1:28:55. And, the week after that (Sunday, June 8), he was motivated to run from his hometown (Tripoli) to Megalopoli, a very hilly 35km distance, in order to emphasise the importance of our woods and our natural wealth in a seminar about the environment, a year after the area was burned from fires.

New World Record with 422.630km in 48h (Gols, Austria).
In the 48 hour race that took place in Gols,  Austria, between the 2nd and 4th of May, 2008, Yiannis Kouros set a  new World Record, covering 422.630km. This performance receives extra value as it was achieved in the third back to back race of Yiannis in a period of about a month (Brno, Czech Republic, Indoor 48 h, 408.10km, Ciserano, IT, road 24h, 261,054km), from which he had not recovered yet. But, Yiannis, once again, succeeded in surpassing these earthy obstacles, ignoring his body condition in order to meet his goal, covering 422.630km, a performance that is a new Road World Record in repeated cyclical course of 1000 meters. His previous record of this kind of road racing was 413km, done in the Across The Years race (Arizona, 29-31/12/05). His track 48h W.R. is 473.797km (Surgeres, FR, 1996) and his point to point W.R. is 463km, done as a split in the hilly Sydney to Melbourne race. The Mayor of the town of Gols and the Austrian organisers gave order to ring the bells of their church as Yiannis Kouros was approaching the World Record to express their gratitude for his effort to bring a W.R. in their little town and make it known in the map of the records. Yiannis Kouros dedicated his record to his friends who crewed for him in the races of this year, improving his conditions and developing inner confidence. Before travelling to Austria, Yiannis heard about the loss of Marios Tokas, the Greek-Cypriot composer, who passed away just before the orthodox Easter. In his memory, Yiannis dedicated his effort, as Marios Tokas was one of the few that gives inspiration with his songs.

Course record & victorious again with 261.054km in Italy.
Yiannis Kouros was invited as a guest runner in the National 6, 12 & 24 hr Championships of Italy, that took place in Ciserano, near Bergamo, during 19-20/04/08. He won the 24h division, improving the course record from 241km to 261.054km. The surface of the course was very difficult to keep a good pace, as it had many sharp corners with opposite inclination, parts with gravel road, some very narrow passes and the asphalt was not even. The fact that many participants (of the 6, 12 & 24 h) were competing in the same narrow course affected his performance and did not allow him to cover a much longer distance.

Motivational Talks.
For a number of years, especially since 1984, Yiannis Kouros has been involved in giving motivation talks to inspire people to be more active and runners to improve their running results.
Some of these talks were addressed to running clubs in Athens, Greece (1984-89), to the School of Philosophy (University of Athens), to the Sports Academy of Athens (1990) and then in Australia, especially before the Sydney Olympics. After 2000 he spoke to running clubs of Athens, Piraeus and Serres (Greece) and Colorado (USA, Dec.2005). The day before the Athens Marathon (Nov.2006) he spoke to International Business people, who also run. In Sept. 2007 he repeated that to International Business people, but not runners. Recently (Feb. 16 & Mar. 1) Yiannis gave motivation talks to members of companies who had their annual meeting.