Now more than ever, Greece needs staying power. That can be sensed along the historical route from Marathon to the Greek capital. Legend has it that in 490 BCE, a messenger ran the distance to inform the Athenians of Greek victory over the Persians at the battle of Marathon. Nowadays, along the Marathon-Athens highway, there's a great deal of resignation among the population in the face of austerity measures and a weakening economy. The way out of debt promises to be not a sprint, but a real marathon.