According to chronicles, Phidippides was sent to Sparta by Athenian officials when they were threatened by Persians landing at Marathon. The trip was 150 miles which he ran in two days. The Spartans were celebrating a festival and could not come until the full moon, several days later, whereupon Phidippides retraced his steps in two more days. He then fought a battle with the rest of the Athenians routing the Persians. The Persians retreated to their ships and set sail for Athens, which caused the Athenians to send Phidippides from the battlefield to Athens, a distance of twenty-six miles. He reached Athens, pronounced Nenikekamen (‘We have won’ or ‘We are victorious’) and promptly died. Robert Browning commemorated this story in his 1879 poem Pheidippides. The poem inspired Baron Pierre de Coubertin and other founders of the modern Olympic games to invent a running race of forty-two kilometers [26.2 miles] called the marathon.
The Phidippides Award, inspired by the historic masters runner, is an award available to dedicated members of USATF forty years of age or older, who earn points through their participation in road races throughout the year. Cross Country, Ultra, and Trail Races may also be counted. Races on the track are not to be counted, Athletes who earn enough points will be recognized by USATF with a personalized Gold, Silver, or Bronze plaque.
The point schedule includes live races at distances from 1 Mile to more than a Marathon. Runners can earn the following points toward their year-end point requirements:
Race Distance
Points per Race
At least 1 mile but less than 5 km
1 point
At least 5 km but less than 10 km
2 points
At least 10 km but less than 10 miles
3 points
At least 10 miles up to a ½ Marathon
4 points
Longer than a ½ Marathon up to a Marathon
5 points
Longer than a Marathon
6 points
The total points you accumulate during the year determine the level of award you are eligible to receive. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as you have accumulated the necessary points for your award.
In the 5th year and in the 10th year you qualify for an Award, you may ask for a handsome Crystal Award in place of the Gold, Silver, or Bronze Award you have earned that year. The years do not have to be consecutive.
Award
Required Points: 40-59 years old
Required Points: 60-79 years old
Required Points: 80+ years old
Gold
30
24
12
Silver
18
9
Bronze
3
Crystal
Awarded in the 5th and 10th qualifying years
In keeping with rule number 7 above, the deadline for submitting an application for races run in 2024 is January 31, 2025.
We encourage you to submit your application as soon as you have earned sufficient points for your age in the category (Gold, Silver, Bronze) in which you are applying.
Contact Phidippides@usatf.org if you have any questions on the program.
Award Winners from 2016 to the present can be found here.