From classroom to running shoes: Students complete Athens Marathon

It was possibly the most unique form of experiential learning ever devised.

During the first week of November, students in the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University Roman-Greco study abroad program learned about the first marathon run by Pheidippedes in their history class. Their philosophy course included a discussion of Plato’s belief that education required both gymnastics and art.

Then, four students from the program ran the Nov. 11 Athens Marathon.

The four – CSB’s Brittney Ayers and Claire Roth, and SJU’s Joe Pohle and Andrew Scherer – all took part in the 26.2-mile run from the city of Marathon to Athens’ Panathenaic Stadium, located less than a mile from the famed Acropolis. The finish line is also about a block from where CSB and SJU students study while in Athens.

“Our discussions in class have definitely been inspiring as the run allowed us the opportunity to understand our studies on a new level,” said Roth, who was competing in her third marathon. “We were not reading textbooks or spectating at an archaeological site trying to imagine what it would have been like – we were able to actively partake in the history and culture that we were learning about in class.

“In regard to our philosophy class, our discussion on Plato was of particular interest,” said Roth, who completed the marathon in 4 hours and 5 minutes. “As he (Plato) spoke of the necessity for a balance between sport and academics, one could not help but find the parallels.”

“Listening to our history class talk about the first marathon was inspiring,” said Pohle, who was running his first marathon and completed it in 5 hours and 34 minutes. “During the run, I kept thinking how cool that I’m running the authentic marathon – the exact same thing we were learning at that point in history.”

“Learning about this race in class was very cool right before I actually experienced it,” said Scherer, who was running his fourth marathon and posted a time of 4 hours and 11 minutes. “Also, as a side note, the first person who ran the marathon (Pheidippedes) died at the end, so I was just motivated to beat him by not dying.”

“It definitely motivated and inspired me during my run,” said Ayers, who completed her second marathon in 4 hours and 51 minutes. “It was very useful information to take into account that these methods and stories did in fact occur in the area we were running in. It also gave me a certain drive to not stop running, to push through mentally and physically because I knew I was capable of overcoming this marathon.”

With a little help from my friends

A number of other students in the program ran in the 5K or 10K races, or served as race volunteers.

“The rest of the group either volunteered for the marathon or stood at certain points to cheer on their classmates,” said Joe DesJardins, professor of philosophy at CSB and SJU and the director of the program for fall semester. “They would text each other on the location of the runners, and all tried to be at the finish line to cheer them when they crossed the line. It was pretty impressive.”

“There was not a single member of our study that did not watch or volunteer for the race,” said Scherer, a junior accounting major from Wayzata, Minnesota. “I was really motivated by having some of my closest friends watching me run.

“They were huge for me. I knew they were volunteering at a water stand, but I didn’t know which one, so I set out to run as fast as I could until I passed their stand. Sadly, they were volunteering at the last stand (roughly mile 25), so I had a long way to go to see them,” Scherer said.

“The people on this trip are our family away from home, so to see them along the course smiling and cheering you on was inspiring and moving,” said Roth, a senior nutrition major from Victoria, Minnesota.

“My classmates were a huge inspiration,” said Pohle, a junior global business leadership major from Minneapolis. “I knew all my guys believed that I would be at the finish line, it was just a matter of time. So, throughout the run when I wasn’t feeling the best, I just kept thinking about the feeling of seeing my friends at the end supporting me.

“It wasn’t until I slowly and painfully ran into the stadium that I finally got to see my friends, as I knew exactly where they were from all of the yelling and the SJU flag being waved around. It was a heartwarming experience knowing that they all waited there for me to finish and definitely being the loudest people in the stadium at the time showing their support,” Pohle added.

A change for the better

Prior to 2012, the Roman Greco program had mandatory academic programs that took the students away from Athens during the marathon weekend, said Nicole Clements, assistant director of semester Education Aboard at CSB and SJU.

However, based on a suggestion from Jean Lavigne, associate professor of environmental studies at CSB and SJU who was the director of the program in 2011, the Roman Greco program was reconfigured in 2012 to schedule the students to be in Athens during the marathon.

In 2017, Janna LaFountaine, professor of exercise science and sports studies, led the Roman Greco program. Her theme of the program was “History, Culture and Sport,” and required her students to either run the marathon, 10K or 5K races or participate as race volunteers. Four students – Claire Baker, Eli Poferl, Carter Scrimshaw and Austin Hill, all seniors this year – ran the marathon.

“I required my students to participate because it was part of the curriculum and you could not find a more culturally relevant event to participate in and be engulfed by than the Athens Marathon,” LaFountaine said. “It is a huge festival that brings people from all over the world, and the Greek people welcome and cheer on everyone who participates. The incredible Greek hospitality is definitely on full display over the marathon weekend.”

‘Neh’ (yes) to running the marathon

All four students recommended running the marathon if the opportunity arises.

“Running the Athens Marathon was an amazing experience, and I encourage anyone that does do the Roman Greco program to definitely partake in it,” said Ayers, a global business leadership major from Stillwater, Minnesota. “Even if you volunteer or do the 5K, it feels great to be a part of the community. Also, the marathon helped me prove to myself how strong I actually am, and I know now that I can conquer anything.”

“In theory, running around Rome and Athens during training is a great way to get to know where you’re living,” Pohle added.