The Loneliness of the Greek Distance Runner

on August 29, 2004 @ 15:51

As the Marathon running course happens today (Official Live Results) at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, greek runner Nikolaos Polias told press that he always runs to the beat of an Iron Maiden song.

More specifically, he said that, while running, he always hums 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner', off Maiden's 1986 'Somewhere In Time' album.

However, it is not known if he covers that song with his band, called Carbon Black, where he plays guitar while the pitcher of the Greek Olympic baseball team accompanies him on drums.

...with his retirement from athletics looming ahead, we can bet he will surely have time to practice it !

Thanks to gor for the head's up

10 Comments

Anonymous said:

That was my tribute to the greatest Olympic Games ever !!!

Cheers

#8709, August 29, 2004 @ 15:52

Anonymous said:

thanks man! I really wonder how you got hold of the extra ifo about the runner

#8710, August 29, 2004 @ 15:58

Anonymous said:

Found the info on the Miami Herald by doing a web search. Then, by looking on his profile on the official Athens2004 website, there was a little thing about his band too.

Don't worry, I'm no extralucid. You're one very good with research, with all the interviews you find around. They all should be added to our interview section as it should be the comprehensive on the web

Cheers

#8711, August 29, 2004 @ 16:16

Anonymous said:

QUOTE(The Saint @ Aug 29 2004, 04:16 PM)

You're one very good with research, with all the interviews you find around. They all should be added to our interview section as it should be the comprehensive on the web

Cheers
[right][snapback]84913[/snapback][/right]

I'd try to add some, but the feature for adding interviews seems not to be working. if anyone can add them from the webteam, here are some links:

http://www.resurrection.at/archivneu/intie...aiden_intie.htm
(this one is in german but I have linked the translation as well because of H's revelations about a discarded song from the DOD sessions):
http://world.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl...ie.htm&lp=de_en

http://www.losferwords.org/1986_05_hrm21_fr_itv.htm
(this one is in french but I have linked the translation as well because of Bruce's very revealing words during the SIT album recordings:
http://world.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl...tv.htm&lp=fr_en

http://www28.brinkster.com/prfamily/maiden/magazine.html

http://www.lollipop.com/archive_temp.php3?...2/52-02-04.html

http://www.agentur-v.de/html/interview_-_englisch.html

http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/feature.php?a=80

http://www.metal-reference.com/ironmaiden/interview1.php

http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/Articles.aspx?id=1-36

http://www.drdrew.com/DrewLive/article.asp?id=547

http://www.megspace.com/entertainment/andy/mega/riggs.htm

http://www.google.com.gr/search?q=cache:2x...o+mcbrain&hl=el

http://dzmaiden.tripod.com/tours/tours.htm (official tour book articles)

#8712, August 29, 2004 @ 17:06

Anonymous said:

RW, can you do something about these interviews or should we wait for the next version of Maidenfans ?

Cheers

#8713, August 29, 2004 @ 23:14

Anonymous said:

Thanks Bravewords:

'The Loneliness Of The Long Distance (Greek) Runner'

Although the Men's Marathon final is now over at the Olympics in Athens (winner - Italy's Stefano Baldini), Greek runner Nikolaos Polias (who finished 24th) told press that he always runs to the beat of an Iron Maiden song. More specifically, he said that, while running, he always hums 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner', off Maiden's 1986 'Somewhere In Time' album. However, it is not known if he covers that song with his band, called CARBON BLACK, where he plays guitar while the pitcher of the Greek Olympic baseball team accompanies him on drums.

Cheers

#8714, August 31, 2004 @ 09:17

Anonymous said:

Thanks Blabbermouth !!

They've also reported that he finished 24th

Cheers

#8715, August 31, 2004 @ 09:21

Anonymous said:

Some comments on Blabbermouth about this news:

Great to hear about an olympic athlete that has great taste in music. I just wish Maiden could write material like that again...

now thats heavy metal.

No wonder he is coming in 24th.

thanks to this guy, i'm gonna check out this song.

Why not use "Run To the Hills"?

And my favorite:

He should run to the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. That's as long as the F'n marathon.

Cheers

#8716, August 31, 2004 @ 09:27

Anonymous said:

Thats a good song to run to. When I lift weights I'm always jamming to maiden. guns[1].gif

#8717, August 31, 2004 @ 21:51

Anonymous said:

Bablefish translations are always a little bit humorous, aren't they? I realize it's about as good as a computer can do but still...

Bruce speaking about Nicko, translated from French by Babelfish:
He, it has a completely lunatic sound, it never as well played as on this album. The drumming is really incredible. II always uses only one large case and it manages to make believe that it has two of them. It is a beater really very fast.

Something about that just makes me laugh.

#8718, September 1, 2004 @ 08:08

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The Loneliness of the Greek Distance Runner

10 Comments