Paris Marathon

“In total, I ate 7 Maurten gels during the race, spaced out by 4 or 5 kms (~20 minutes).”

The runner realized the bag-drop location late and moved to a later starting group. The ups and downs through the tunnel in the latter stages were difficult, while the support at Bastille and Bir-Hakeim provided strong motivation.

“It was a truly wonderful morning to enjoy running!”

After recovering from the Ecotrail, the runner ran their sixth marathon without putting pressure on themselves to chase a time. They enjoyed sightseeing in Paris and sharing the experience and encouragement with other runners, but the riverside tunnels and the gradual climb in the second half felt long and tough.

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“The atmosphere is truly magical, and incredible on most of the course.”

This runner missed breaking 3 hours by 16 seconds in their first marathon but finished injury-free by running an even first half and speeding up in the second. They said the climbs and forest sections late on the course felt harder because there were fewer spectators.

“Official finish time: 4:30:08”

After three weeks off with a tendon injury, and with a cold on race day, the runner ran just to finish. The runner got through the start corral, aid stations, electrolyte drinks, the ups and downs of the course, and the tunnels, and finished in 4:30:08.

“Even so, I keep going.”

In a wave with no pacemaker, the runner held their own 3-hour pace. The section rerouted because of the Seine's water level felt comfortable, but the late hills and fatigue slowed the runner down, and they crossed the finish line in 3:02.

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“This is the happiest I’ve ever felt in my life!”

lawyerunderabridge, a runner with a visual impairment and a connective-tissue disorder, finished their first marathon in 5:23:55. They ran steadily to 37K, then mixed walking and running through the forest section, but felt intense joy with family and friends cheering them on.

“The supporters along the sidelines were very engaged, which gave a lot of energy for the runners.”

The runner finished a first marathon in 4:02:25. The runner dealt with early congestion, narrowing roads, a tunnel along the Seine, and a long climb, but the crowds and a late surge carried the runner to the finish.

“I was happy to finish my marathon in 3h50:36.”

The runner finished their first marathon in 3:50:36. They started conservatively to build a negative split, and despite too few toilets and big crowds, they avoided the wall and picked up the pace at the end.

“It was probably one of the most exhilarating marathons I’ve ever run.”

Kofo Obasanjo-Blackshire came to Paris alone for their first overseas marathon, waiting in a long line at the expo before running the course from the Arc de Triomphe through tunnels and city streets. They enjoyed the crowd support and the views of the city.

“What an epic way to see the historic sights of Paris!”

The runner wrote that the race route was convenient because the course passed Paris landmarks and the hotel was within walking distance. The later city sections were narrow and crowded, making it difficult to maintain pace, and the runner finished in 3 hours 59 minutes 26 seconds.

“It was the most scenic race I’ve ever experienced.”

The runner ran with a friend past the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the parks and the Seine. The lighting and music in the tunnel and the spectators gathered close to the course were impressive, and the runner finished in 3 hours 27 minutes 36 seconds.