Awards
Half marathon race was distinguished by Sports Marketing Awards 2018 and received the following:
- Gold award in Video category for our well known promo videos (super grandma and Greek mother) with millions views in social media measuring creativity, innovation, originality and excellence
- Gold award in Sports Tourism – Crete Half marathon was awarded as a top athletic event attracting thousands of participants from around the world and all over Greece in a small village. Crete Half marathon distinguished itself in the level of planning, creativity, innovation, performance and effectiveness.
- Silver award in Running &Live Well, boosted the local market, attracted thousands of participants, reinforced the local identity, stimulated sportsmanship, contributed in a healthy lifestyle and received excellent reviews.
Health & Diet
The Cretan diet has been scientifically proven to be the predominantly healthy diet model.
Cretan diet is an ally of good health and longevity. Its efficacy is due to its high content of antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acids and fiber, which reduce the risk of serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The CRETE HALF MARATHON promotes the Cretan diet, which in combination with sports offers a healthier lifestyle. On the day of the race, the participants and accompanying guests are offered a taste of genuine traditional products (food, pastries, fruits).
Cretan diet is an ally of good health and longevity. Its efficacy is due to its high content of antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acids and fiber, which reduce the risk of serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The CRETE HALF MARATHON promotes the Cretan diet, which in combination with sports offers a healthier lifestyle. On the day of the race, the participants and accompanying guests are offered a taste of genuine traditional products (food, pastries, fruits).
Environmental Actions CRETE HALF MARATHON
The Crete Half Marathon encourages and contributes with specific environmental awareness programs to actions by conveying messages to protect the environment.
The program of environmental intervention of the routes of the Crete Half Marathon throughout a year by the members of our association and by our volunteers is a continuous environmental action whose main objective is to raise awareness of all citizens for a clean environment. Also, the direct participation of our Athletic Health Club in Arkalochori in reforestation programs for our region contributes to the extent of its power and to the magnitude that it is responsible for, in the maintaining and the developing of areas that can contribute to the quality development of our region while at the same time, we are sensitizing a large part of our population.
The program of environmental intervention of the routes of the Crete Half Marathon throughout a year by the members of our association and by our volunteers is a continuous environmental action whose main objective is to raise awareness of all citizens for a clean environment. Also, the direct participation of our Athletic Health Club in Arkalochori in reforestation programs for our region contributes to the extent of its power and to the magnitude that it is responsible for, in the maintaining and the developing of areas that can contribute to the quality development of our region while at the same time, we are sensitizing a large part of our population.
Tradition
The CRETE HALF MARATHON from the center of CRETE from the heart of CRETE tries to portray the Cretan Diet as a means of preserving Health in combination with exercise, and also to portray the customs of CRETE, the antiquities and the History of Crete on the course of centuries. Through our television spots and our entire advertising campaign, we strongly emphasize the special elements of our land with the protagonists being everyday people of Crete.
The operation of a small but very informative folklore museum that works during the CRETE HALF MARATHON as well as the presence of traditional bands both on the route and at the end of the race, creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere (hospitality by Xenios Zeus who was born in CRETE) which is a moral duty for us and a holy rule to welcome and treat visitors coming to our home.
The operation of a small but very informative folklore museum that works during the CRETE HALF MARATHON as well as the presence of traditional bands both on the route and at the end of the race, creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere (hospitality by Xenios Zeus who was born in CRETE) which is a moral duty for us and a holy rule to welcome and treat visitors coming to our home.
Social Actions CRETE HALF MARATHON
From 2014 until now, the revenues from the races organized by the club are given to charity but also to health and sports organizations such as
While a special and perhaps the most important moment of our Athletic Action to date is that in 2014 an athlete participating in the CRETE HALF MARATHON gave a bone marrow sample and in 2017 it was announced that she is a compatible donor. Last May she had a bone marrow transplant! This development for us is a milestone and it is the greatest success of the CRETE HALF MARATHON!
- “Iliahtida”: Pancretan club of parents and friends of children with cancer.
- “Association Right to Life”: Association of Parents, Guardians and Friends of People with Disabilities.
- “Together we beat cancer” aims to raise money in order to buy a High Dose Rate Brachytherapy System for the University Hospital of Heraklion
- Association with the Guest House for the Abused Women and Children “House of Angels”
- “Rodavgi” Association of children with mental retardation
- The meals of families with financial weakness
- The health center of Arkalochori
- The Athletic clubs of Arkalochori (Anagennisi – Basketball, OFA -Football)
- In the games of our association YGEIA are volunteers of the "ORAMA ELPIDAS" association, whose primary objective is the operation of the Bone Marrow Donor Volunteer Bank to cover the needs of patients, children and adults who need haematopoietic cell transplantation.
While a special and perhaps the most important moment of our Athletic Action to date is that in 2014 an athlete participating in the CRETE HALF MARATHON gave a bone marrow sample and in 2017 it was announced that she is a compatible donor. Last May she had a bone marrow transplant! This development for us is a milestone and it is the greatest success of the CRETE HALF MARATHON!
Entertainment Actions CRETE HALF MARATHON
The CRETE HALF MARATHON is not only a moment but a continuous and unremitting effort that tries to activate, urge, inspire and motivate with structured actions all year through, in order for sports to become a way of life in the society of Crete and in Greece in general since the sporting activities organized are made so unique and original for Greece.
"Color Run". Every May, our Athletic Health Club organizes a different race during which there is no competition, there is no pressure of distinction or the finishing line but only the joy of participation to show that sports, beyond improving our health, can be fun too. Sports - Health - Fun FOR EVERYONE & ALL AGES this is our message this is our goal.
"Color Run". Every May, our Athletic Health Club organizes a different race during which there is no competition, there is no pressure of distinction or the finishing line but only the joy of participation to show that sports, beyond improving our health, can be fun too. Sports - Health - Fun FOR EVERYONE & ALL AGES this is our message this is our goal.