Running from Akamas to Cape Greco is not exactly a jog in the park

Four young men who can expect an especially exhausting lead up to Christmas are a group of university students planning a 240-kilometre run from the Akamas to Cape Greco in under 24 hours on December 21.

In an islandwide first, the ambitious “Running across Cyprus” relay will begin on December 21 at exactly 12am at Ayios Kokonas church in the depths of Akamas, where the group will attempt to run for 240 kilometres across the island, hoping to reach the finish line at Cape Greco peninsula before 11.59pm.

Operating as a continuous relay, the group will swap members every 20 kilometres. Self-described “non-runner” and team captain Anghelo George Eleftheriou spent the last year committed to transforming from what he calls a “zero aerobic base” to a form allowing him to run the entire length of the country, along with his team.

Made up of four university students all in their 20s, Panos Alepis, Constantinos Psaras, Petros Loizou and team leader Anghelo George Eleftheriou, the team invite all Cypriots to cheer them on, as the relay will be supported by a live GPS tracking. They hope to reach the national TV and secure coverage as they attempt an island-first record.

“We want to show people that it’s never too late to redefine what you’re capable of,” Eleftheriou said.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, Eleftheriou hopes that those intrigued by the team’s goal will find inspiration.

“Our purpose is mainly to show others that if you put your mind to something, you can achieve anything you wish to. Dare to dream big, and go make those dreams a reality,” he said.

The four of them came together from completely different backgrounds, especially when it comes to their physical strengths. Team leader Eleftheriou hated running, possibly due to consistently crossing the finishing line last during school sports days, while his counterparts were loyal football players their entire lives.

Apart from the physical aspect of the relay, the team found self-improvement to be the moving power for their preparation.

“You define yourself, you set your own limits,” they emphasised.

For them, every single training session and every run is a story with a message. “Goal setting is crucial in the team’s lives and having that belief in ourselves is the hardest part,” said Eleftheriou.

The challenge lies in the three sets of 20 kilometres that each one of the four runners will need to complete, it is unlike any other marathon they have ever attended, especially considering the lack of sleep, which is the “biggest factor in muscle recovery”. With the relay taking place in December, the lack of daylight is an important consideration. The runners will make use of headlamps to push through the darkness. 

The team’s feelings going into this ambitious challenge are mixed. “All emotions are high,” they said but at the back of their minds nervousness is beginning to creep in. After all, running for 24 hours straight is a challenge, no matter the long training hours.

“If you don’t set a challenge that doesn’t at least scare you a little, then maybe the challenge isn’t hard enough,” Eleftheriou said.

Preparing how to approach the unavoidable is in the mindset of every athlete. For this reason, they arranged for a support vehicle to follow their journey, ready to provide painkillers, bandages and any other form of aid in case things take a turn for the worse.

For the team, this relay will be more than an attempt to break a record. It is a tribute to persistence, commitment to high performance and pushing the limits of endurance.

With the successful completion of this challenge, and through countless hours of training, the four aim to continue to step outside their comfort zones.

And their next project? A run from the Akamas to Apostolos Andreas in the Karpas peninsula.

“Our goal is to motivate and show every goal can be reached, dream big,” says Eleftheriou.

In the meantime, let’s hope they are rested in time for Christmas.