SPARTANS
Club Patron: Robert de Castella
30 Year Spartans before the start of the 2007 Melbourne
Back row: Roger Weinstein, Peter Ryan, Neville Gardner, Peter Battrick, David Foskey, Frank Biviano, Manny Karageorgiou, Wayne Thompson,
Front row: John Dean, Bruce Hargreaves, John Dobson, Shirley Young, Jack Gubbins
The Melbourne Marathon Spartans Club was formed in 1987 following initial discussions between Race Director Ted Paulin and Brian Dixon (former M.L.A. and Melbourne Football Club footballer). It was decided in 1987 to officially recognize the efforts of those 88 hardy souls who had completed all ten Melbourne Marathons hence the concept of the Spartan evolved. Not in the wildest dreams of either Ted or Brian did they think the Spartan concept would be as strong as it currently is some 32 years on. The title of Spartan has now become one of the
Spartans are recognized today by their distinctive green, gold, blue, red, black and maroon running singlets and each runner having their own personalized race number. The singlet is worn with the upmost pride by all Spartans as a sign of their achievement and dedication to marathon running. Club records reflect a total of 1100 Melbourne Marathon runners have qualified as Spartans over the past 32 years and that they are not only residents of Melbourne, but also from interstate and overseas.
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In 2008, eight Spartans were acknowledged and presented with their distinctive Maroon Spartan singlets to acknowledge their completion of thirty Melbourne Marathons. For the eleven Spartans (now known as Spartan Legends) who have completed all thirty-one Melbourne Marathons to date (from 1978 – 2008) they can be recognized by their distinctive black singlet with the wording “I’ve done the lot” inscribed on the back.