Long Distance Paths – Human Endurance as Inner Innovation

May 31, 2025

On Thursday, May 29, 2025, a thoughtful and well-attended roundtable took place at Metropolitan College Thessaloniki, under the title “Long Distance Paths: Human Endurance as Inner Innovation

Guest Speakers

• ► Georgia Abatzidou, marathon champion, shared powerful personal stories from her athletic career, highlighting how long-distance running shaped her inner strength and perspective on life.
• ► Katerina Nikou, psychologist, spoke about the emotional aspects of endurance and how the rhythm and solitude of running can support self-reflection and psychological growth.
• ► Dimitris Kasimis, triathlon coach, focused on the life lessons that emerge through endurance training—discipline, humility, and the value of staying committed to a process.
• ► The discussion was masterfully moderated by Yiannis Simantiras, radio producer and seasoned marathon runner, whose experiential approach added authenticity and emotional depth to the event.

What we talked about?

The event offered a reflective take on long-distance running—not simply as a physical achievement, but as a process of inner transformation, emotional resilience, and personal meaning. Marathons, ultramarathons, and challenging trail races were discussed as paths of self-observation, where time, pain, and solitude become part of a deeper personal journey. The discussion was moderated with sensitivity and insight by Yiannis Simantiras, a radio producer and marathon runner, who brought both personal experience and a warm, inclusive tone to the conversation.

The speakers explored whether endurance could be seen as a quiet form of innovation—not in terms of technology, but in how one chooses to face difficulty, uncertainty, and effort. They described running not as a race for results, but as a way to pause, listen, and reconnect—a kind of research into the self, done step by step. The themes of the discussion often paralleled the experience of every day living: the long road, the inner doubts, the need for patience, and the quiet breakthroughs that come when you keep going, even when it’s hard.

At the end of the event, a short certificate ceremony took place for students who completed the developingU continuing education seminar on High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). It was a chance to recognize their participation and interest in advancing their knowledge through applied training and shared learning.

Organized by the School of Sport and Physical Education Sciences, Metropolitan College Thessaloniki