Thedolichos ordolichus (Δόλιχος, meaning "long race") was a long-distance footrace introduced at theancient Olympic Games in 720 BC.
Sources vary on the exact length of the race. Most accounts estimate the dolichos covered approximately 12 to 24 lengths of the stadium track, or between 1,400 and 4,800 Greek feet (roughly 4.8 km). On average, this amounted to about 12.5 laps, or 3 miles (4.8 km). The race was conducted similarly to modern long-distance events: runners started and finished inside the stadium, but the course extended through the sanctuary grounds of Olympia.
The course often passed prominent landmarks, including shrines and statues. Notably, athletes would pass by theNike statue near thetemple of Zeus before returning to the stadium.[1][2]
The dolichos was not as popular as the shorter sprint races, such as thestadion. According toPhilostratus, dolichos runners "move almost as if they were walking, holding up their hands in front of them" before executing a final sprint—comparable to the modern "sit-and-kick" strategy seen in Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 meter races.[3]
Thedolichos has been featured in modern commemorative coinage. A notable example is the €10 Greekrelays commemorative coin, issued in 2003 to honor the2004 Summer Olympics. The obverse depicts three modern relay runners with batons, and in the background, three ancient athletes are shown running thedolichos.
