According to legend, Pheidippides was a Greek soldier who ran from the city of Marathon to Athens to deliver news of a military victory. It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and delivered the message, “We have won,” before collapsing and dying from exhaustion. The modern-day marathon race was inspired by this legendary run, and the Marathon to Athens virtual challenge allows me to follow in Pheidippides’ footsteps.

As I progress through the Marathon to Athens virtual challenge, I will be able to virtually explore the ancient landmarks and ruins of Greece. I will pass by famous sites such as the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, and the Ancient Agora, all from the comfort of my own home. This virtual journey through ancient Greece adds an exciting and educational element to the challenge.

Participating in the Marathon to Athens virtual challenge also allows me to support a good cause. Every time I complete 20% of any regular Conqueror challenge, I will help a tree get planted somewhere in the world. To make this happen, The Conqueror partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects — a Non Profit Organization that has planted over 400 million trees through its reforestation projects. Their trees are planted in areas that have been devastated by deforestation. Planting trees in these areas helps alleviate extreme poverty and provides employment and a sustainable resource for impoverished communities worldwide.

Alternatively, every time I complete 20% of any regular Conqueror challenge, I will help stop 10 plastic bottles entering the ocean in collaboration with Plastic Bank — a social enterprise that has stopped the equivalent of over 1.75 billion plastic bottles from entering the ocean to date. Plastic Bank empowers the regenerative society. They build ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities, and reprocess the materials for reintroduction into the global supply chain. In addition to stopping ocean plastic, Plastic Bank is also improving lives in vulnerable coastal communities. Collectors receive bonuses for the materials they collect which helps them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance. By collecting with Plastic Bank, Collectors can increase their incomes by up to 40%, providing access to the goods and services we take for granted in the Global North.

Want to join this challenge? Click here.