It was the perfect morning in Paris with no wind and gentle sunlight. My marathon start time was at the very odd time of 1130am (I was in one of the later waves). However it did mean I had a leisurely breakfast and loaded up on cereal, toast and pancakes.
The 30 minute walk to the start at the Arc de Triomphe was a brilliant nerve tamer-I’m definitely going to arrange my accommodation with this in mind for future marathons. If you’re travelling via the metro you’ll need the stop “Charles de Gaulle Etoile”.
I have only run one marathon distance before and that was years ago so this was a bit of a leap into the unknown for me; I hadn’t done any speed work etc so my goal was simply to finish.
I also couldn’t finish off my training either as my doc wouldn’t sign off my required medical certificate for the marathon and told me to quit running whilst it was sorted which I covered here:
Have You Heard of Runner’s Heart? I Hadn’t and it Nearly Cost Me My Marathon Place
So to be honest I was extremely apprehensive about the whole thing.
But here I was.
The Paris Marathon’s bag drop is located at the finish line. This works well in that you can get to your gear shortly after you finish, but it’s a quite a way from the starting line, so be prepared for a non-insignificant walk before you start running. Allow around 20 minutes to walk from the Arc to the bag drop and back.
Once you start gathering towards the start line, be aware that the Champs Elysées is often in the shade and it’s easy to feel cold, so bring some throw away clothes to discard in the pen. Wait until last minute to do this because there are staggered starts. I’d taken an old fleece to wear which I knew I could ditch at the start and it would be collected on behalf of homeless charities.
As is the way with races, the portaloos at the start line run out of toilet paper really quickly so bring some of your own; I always carry some in my flipbelt.
We shuffled towards the start to the sounds of Chariots of Fire (always a good choice) and … we were off.
My friend spotted the 4hr 30 pacer just ahead of us and suggested we try and keep up with that. I was reluctant-it seemed such a huge pressure so early on. It wasn’t long before we lost sight of it anyway.
The first few hundred metres ease you in with a nice gentle downhill on the wide avenue so it is easy to get carried away and start too fast. It’s also a great opportunity to appreciate the Axe Historique. This is the straight line that runs through the centre of Paris, linking the Arc de Triomphe, Avenue des Champs Elysées, Place de la Concorde and Obelisk, Jardin des Tuilleries and the Louvre. Although you’re on wide roads, take care to check the road surface, as it change quickly between tarmac and cobblestones. Once you reach the bottom of the Champs Elysées, you go round the obelisk on the Place de la Concorde, and continue along the side of the Jardin des Tuileries.
The route then takes you across Place Vendome, home to luxury fashion brands and the Ritz Hotel, and then north, towards the Paris Opera. The route then drops back towards the Jardin des Tuileries. As the route passes the Louvre, you can catch a glimpse to your right of the glass pyramid.
There are markers every kilometre and mile and water stations every 5km.
Paris is cobbly. (Apparently, Prague is the worst for this). On this fine day it wasn’t an issue but I bet it is on rainy days. The aid stations tended to be stocked with bananas, orange slices, sugar cubes and lots of cake-dry yellow squares which I thought would just get stuck in my equally dry mouth. There was only water though so bring your own sports drink if that’s your thing. No gels on offer. If you want to get electrolytes without carrying a drink, I personally use these salt tablets
I also carried clif block shots but no water-I just drank at each aid station.
Basically you go around all the main sites in Paris, as well as going to the outskirts to the woods of Vincennes and Boulogne so you get an interesting mix of scenery along the course. Crowd support is great for a lot of the course and because you have your name on your bib you will get lots of personal cheers! Allez! Allez!
From about miles 16-20, there are a handful of tunnels and inclines. The Paris Marathon is not a hilly race, but it’s not totally flat either. The tunnels can be a bit of a sore point as they come up late in the race. The longer tunnel blasted out music and a themed light show. To feel ready for the inclines, I’d definitely recommend doing at least few runs with some hills during your training.
The route also goes through two major parks—the Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne—all on the paved roads/paths.
I had reached the half marathon point at a fast time for me (2hr15) and my friend Sally and I thought a sub 5 was possible. We ran our hearts out for the last few kilometres (coupled with my incessant loo stops and being sick 
) but we just couldn’t pull it off and finished seconds over 5hr. I’m super happy with it and now I have a time goal set for my next marathon (definitely beginning with a 4). And oh yes-they’ll be more-I loved it!!
Depending on how long you’re staying in Paris, and how your legs feel, you’ll hopefully still want to do some sightseeing. One of my favourite areas in Paris is Montmartre.
Montmartre is the only major tourist area that you won’t have seen on the marathon route. Get a photo in front of the Moulin Rouge, take the funicular up past Sacré Coeur church (or brave the steps) and watch the local artists while you eat in the Place du Tertre.
Bonne chance!
Read about travelling to the marathon and the expo here:
