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Oct 5, 2024

Paris Int'l Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Paris Int'l Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.6

Organization 3.6

Spectators 3.9

Number of comments: 191 [displaying comments 71 to 81]

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M. S. from Minneapolis, MN, USA (4/11/2009) "Beautiful" (about: 2009) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 Paris Int'l Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I agree with all of the negative comments printed here. It was crowded. There were plastic water bottles strewn about. Runners tripped on them. There were not enough porta-potties ("Toi Toi." Cute.). The finish line was a mob scene. But hey, you're running through the streets of Paris. How often do you get to do that? Enough said.
B. O. from Ireland (4/10/2009) "A SUPERB MARATHON... AGAIN" (about: 2009) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Paris Int'l Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my second time doing this marathon. Access to the start was exceptionally good and the route is flat and scenic - taking in many of the city highlights. The organization was excellent and there were refreshment/food stops every 5K - more than adequate. Red wine, white wine and cider were again available at 22-24 miles, although only a few diehards seemed able to partake. The crowd was a bit thin - nowhere near the scale of London. A useful tip is to book a hotel near the Arc de Triomphe. I stayed in the Hotel Tivioli Etoile - 200 meters from the start. It was clean, friendly and perfectly adequate. I had the use of my own toilet until 20 minutes before the start and was wallowing in my own piping hot bath 20 minutes after the finish. I would do this one again.
C. G. from Hertford (20m North of London) UK (4/10/2009) "Capital City Marathon spoiled by poor organization" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Paris Int'l Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This was my first attempt to run Paris, after having run several other European city marathons, including London, Berlin, Edinburgh, Amsterdam. First, the positives: I thought the route was fantastic, with lots of landmark buildings along the way. Crowd support was good too, and there was a nice medal, T-shirt and other stuff in the expo goody bag. Sadly, there were a lot of "negatives," which in my opinion outbalanced the positives, and made this a disappointing marathon experience: (1) Major congestion at the baggage drop-off (as mentioned by an earlier respondent), causing panic to many runners (me included) as they struggled to get to the start in time; (2) There were way too few toilets at the start. While this is often a problem at races, this was the worst I've experienced at a big marathon. When I arrived at 7:15 a.m., the porta-loos had two rolls of toilet paper apiece. Obviously, these were used up within 10 minutes, meaning that runners had no option but to... sorry, I'll leave this to your imagination! (3) Huge congestion and stoppage en-route at ~4m/Bastille, when the race stoppped dead for 2 minutes! (4) Refreshment points were poorly situated, sometimes at corners (e.g. Bastille, hence contributed to congestion), seemingly because these corresponded precisely with the mandated 5K spacing intervals - event though there was a nice, wide, straight road just a few hundred meters ahead! Bottom line: There were too many runners for this particular course and its narrow roads. I suspect that anyone running under, say, 3:15 would have enough space around them, but runners aiming at 3:30 or longer will struggle to maintain pace, due to the huge congestion. I'm sad to say that I won't plan to Paris again unless there are major improvements.
WBill Walton from Fairfield, CT USA (4/8/2009) "World-class course; careless organization" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Paris Int'l Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 First, I must say that this event gives you the opportunity to run on the most beautiful city streets in the world. The course rates six stars... not five. That said, most everything else about this event is carelessly planned and executed. It is almost like they say, "Hey, you are lucky we are letting you run here. What else do you expect?" The only consideration for the 32,000 runners at the start was a giant pile of water bottles still in their cases. Runners grabbed them and found their own way to their starting area. Once it started, it was 26.2 miles of an unrelenting cattle drive. Passages were too narrow for the runners, with unsupervised spectators creating tiny openings for the thousands of runners. Knots of runners came to walking shuffle several times along the way. At the finishing line you came to a dead stop. The chute was clogged with finishers as far as the eye could see. No effort to keep people moving. Runners were cramping on the pavement as others grabbed for food. I felt like the organization motto was: "Every man for himself." It's really too bad. If you do this event, approach it as a tourist jog and it'll be great. As an organized marathon event, it falls way below average.
N. B. from London (4/7/2009) "Congested" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Paris Int'l Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I have run many marathons and this was my second Paris marathon. I only did this because I didn't get into London. No surprises for me, as I knew what to expect. But I WAS surprised that after 33 years of the Paris Marathon the organizers are still getting so much wrong. The fences around the baggage and runners area created MASS congestion that became dangerous. Many runners got squashed and stressed, resulting in fences being pushed down at the beginning. Getting into the race area was also a nightmare as well. Good to see that at least 20 toilets were available this year for the 40,000 runners! I would not suggest leaning against any walls or railings in Paris for a while!!! The race itself is a big event, passing many of Paris's attractions with good support. For this it gets top marks. It is, however, very congested from start to finish, and it is difficult to maintain a steady pace. There were bottlenecks in many locations - and particularly around drink stations, they make things very frustrating. So don't expect fast times here. Running out of water and sports drinks for sub-4-hour runners is criminal, as there are still so many people left to pass through. Credit to all those marshals and helpers, but Paris needs more. I will probably run it again, but would not travel the world for this one. Spend your money and go to the USA!
D. H. from Kent, England (4/7/2009) "Stunning at every turn" (about: 2009) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Paris Int'l Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 A spectacular race in a wonderful city. I grew up in Paris and it was an absolute pleasure to run right down the middle of the Champs-Elysees, bold as you like, with 32,000 others. The expo was huge (I've only Edinburgh to compare it to, though, where I ran the relay) and had a great range of stands. I imagine it wouldn't be ideal for non-French speakers, however, but you're in France, so that's part of the package! As for the course, the roads are wide and generally have an excellent surface - the cobbles are no trouble whatsoever. The food and water stations are huge and well-stocked, offering wet sponges, water, energy drinks, oranges, bananas, dried apricots, raisins, sultanas, sugar cubes, and in the last 10K, wine, cider, Haribo, bread and cake. Marvelous. They have a satisfying route, taking in the full width of the city and all of the main sites - no boring diversions through industrial wasteland or dull suburbs. Fantastic. Some of the earlier parts of the course can get very congested and the race slowed to a standstill at one point, which frustrated many. Also the tunnels along the banks of the Seine make for some nasty descents and ascents, but the rest of the course is almost completely flat. Crowd support is sporadic and not very vocal, but the bands are excellent and frequent and it seemed like every fireman in Paris was out to support, to the point that I worried for anyone whose house was on fire on Sunday. There's a huge volume of British and American runners and supporters, who are big fans of anyone who shouts at them. Your name is printed on your bib, which means you get loads of random shouts. Great medal and good support at the finish, but a very long walk until you can get back to the real world. I'll definitely be back once I've got a few more marathons under my belt!
Richard Ervais from New York (4/7/2009) "Great course, good expo, no toilets, awful finish" (about: 2009) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 Paris Int'l Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 Great registration, expo, start and course. Problems that existed in 2003 that still exist: 1. Not enough toilets along the course. I lost 5 minutes in 2003 and at least 10 minutes in 2009 waiting for a toilet. 2. The finish area is terrible! When I got to the finish line, the crowd backed up from the chip removal reached the finish line mats. After crossing the finish, both in 2003 and in 2009, there is no room for the runners to walk and it takes a long time to exit the finish area to be able to start walking again. This is dangerous because after a marathon just stopping can lead to heart attacks and discomfort because it can lead to leg cramping. I have run 50 marathons and never seen a finish area so congested. Perhaps you need to spread it out a little more or put the chip removal area farther away from the finish line (or use souvenir chips that don't need removal). 3. Large water bottles and caps on the ground at the water stations. Perhaps cups of water or smaller water bottles with the caps removed would be better. The situation now is slippery and dangerous. Problems that I don't recall from 2003: 1. No electrolyte fluids except for one station with PowerAde near the end of the race. I think more fluids besides water would be good. 2. Course congestion. The race came to a stop near Bastille as we turned a corner, and probably cost racers another minute or two. Perhaps a wave start, which seems to be working well in Boston, New York and Berlin. 3. Technical issues: When I was finishing, the finish clock was not moving and the announcer said that it was broken and that those of us crossing the line were coming in at the 4:00 mark. When the results came out, I was at 4:05. Also, more clocks along the course would be nice.
D. P. from Ashburn, VA (4/7/2009) "Paris Delivers!" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Paris Int'l Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I just ran the 2009 Paris Marathon; this was a great race that helped me earn a BQ. Now the details: Expo/Packet-pick up: Great expo - one of the best I've seen. As for the packet pick up, please remember to bring your passport with you - US drivers' license will work (although it took 5 minutes of arguing for me to persuade them to let me register). Also, send in you medical certificate in advance and bring a second version to the registration table. Day before UNESCO "breakfast run": At the UNESCO headquarters, they start a 5.2K run on the day before the marathon. A few things to consider before you decide to run it: 1) You must run BEHIND the flag carriers at all times and they are running about 10:30 pace. 2) The "breakfast" is really simply pre-packaged muffins and the like. My experience was that it was fun, but I would not do it again. Race Day Staging: The Champs was packed - 37,000 registered. Toilets are hard to find and the lines are quite long. Also, don't even think about starting towards the front if your bib number does not indicate a 3:00, 3:15 or 3:30 marathon. These portions are barricaded and the entrance points are strictly enforced (you will be physically removed). Race Course: I'd call if "fairly flat," but it's no pancake. If you plan to finish in around 3:15, expect to be running shoulder-to-shoulder, with runners 1-meter in front and behind you until about mile 22. Spectators: Great; I cannot think of one part of the course without spectators. Race replenishment: OK. No gels, but they had oranges and bottled water. I like the bottled water but I saw a few people get tripped up by the bottles. Watch your step in the aid station zones - it's very slick. After-race goodies: Pretty poor - basically, the same stuff at the aid stations with some PowerAde tossed in. Overall, I highly recommend this marathon!
D. A. from Warsaw (4/6/2009) "great marathon - spectators a little disappointing" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Paris Int'l Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Excellent marathon: good organization, good expo, wonderful course, plenty of good food/drink stations, not too crowded (despite 35,000 runners). The only small disappointment concerned the spectators, who are not very numerous and not very cheerful. The bands are great - but there were not many "natural" cheering Parisians. All in all, this race is definitely to be recommended.
B. B. from Stuttgart, Germany (4/5/2009) "PARIS WAS GREAT; SO WAS THE MARATHON!" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Paris Int'l Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Course: 1-10KM: Started at the Arc de Triomphe, ran down the Champs-Elysees, past the Place de la Concorde, Musse du Louvre, Hotel de Ville, and Place de Bastille (I turned Rush's Bastille Day on my iPod as I was approaching Place de Bastille - perfect) . Absolutely fantastic. Very, very tight running. Some downhill but mostly flat, with a few sharp turns at Concorde and Bastille, and an uphill between 6-8 KM. I could not for the life of me find a good pace through 10KM! It was so crowded that you simply could not open up and find your stride. Instead, you spent a lot of time hammering your toes and putting strain on your knees, something I'd feel later in the race. To help establish my pace, I tried to start with the 3:15 pace group, but lost them in the crowd at Bastille, and never caught up. On a positive note, the crowds were crazy and the water, oranges, and bananas were plentiful! It was a monumental start. 11-21.1KM: This portion of the race featured the Chateau de Vincennes and Bois de Vincennes. I'm not sure if this was a nature preserve or park, but it was flat and green - quite nice; but isolated and without much crowd support. The lack of crowd support wasn't a big deal, though - I was just trying to find my rhythm! I will say this: I remember seeing the 10-mile marker during this portion, and thinking, "this is hardest 10 miles I've ever run!" I don't think I ever doubted that I would finish, but I had serious doubts about finishing under 4 hours! My knees were already hurting, something very unusual for me. 21.2-25KM: After seeing my split time at 21.1KM (1:43), I realized that it was still possible for me to finish under 3:30. This gave me the shot of motivation I needed to pick up my pace. In hindsight, this was probably the best part of the race for me. Not the fastest, but it was here I felt most comfortable. This part of the race was entirely downhill as well (though nothing significant - about 15M over 5KMs). 26-31KM: Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Musee d'Orsay, Grand Palais, Trocadero, and the Tower Eiffel were the highlights on these kilometers. Of course, all are very beautiful. However, I had decided at the start that I had eight days to see the glory of Paris - this day was dedicated to running the race, not seeing the sights! I haven't seen a breakdown of my times during this portion, but I'm certain I maintained a sub-3:30 pace because the 3:30 pace group didn't pass me until the 36KM mark! So I was still running strong. The only thing I didn't like about the course during this section was this long tunnel (1/4 mile?) that we ran through. It was hot! The crowd support was fantastic - and much appreciated! 32-42KM: Lots of knee pain, popping quads, and a lingering right hamstring injury. KM's 32-34 weren't too bad. There was a slight uphill, but the blacktop was a pretty decent running surface. KM's 35-37 presented the race's last hill, a 20KM uphill over two kilometers. Around 34KM's, my right hamstring forced my to walk for 30 seconds. Then my quads started to pop. I fought through it, and in just a few kilometers I was fine. These physical struggles took a toll on my time. When the 3:30 pace group caught me at the 36KM mark, I decided to run with them. But try as I may, I couldn't stick with them and just started falling back. Then, 38-42km were a disaster. Physically and mentally worn out, I did all I could - I slowed and enjoyed the ride! The crowd support was getting better once again - it had thinned out around 34KM when the runners entered a park area. Then at 41KM I saw a timer that still had me under 3:30, so that was a needed boost. I knew it wouldn't be enough to get me in under 3:30, but I knew I'd end up finishing respectably. 43KM: The last kilometer was exciting. I once again put my head down and pushed hard ahead! It was such an amazing relief to see the sign that read Arrivee - it was the finish! And just beyond the banner was the Arc de Triomphe! How awesome! What a sight! Thousands of people! Runners, spectators, race officials, families - everyone was out in force! It was a fantastic finish! Organization: Absolutely no complaints! Outstanding organization! Lots of room when the runners were put into the corrals. Plenty of port-a-potties. Actually, the men were able to use something I'd never seen before - urinal quads: four urinals in a round carousel. You just stand in a quarter section with your back to the crowds, and go. I'm not sure how things were for the ladies, but for guys these were great. Food and drink were plentiful along the course. The same foods were offered to runners at the conclusion of the race. I might have changed that. One thing that would be great: pizza and bread. I ran the Richmond Marathon one year and that was the highlight of the race - unlimited pizza after the race! But the organization was terrific. Spectators: I can't say enough good about the Parisians who came out to watch the race. They were wonderful. And wow, what an assortment! Guys dressed as cheerleaders, bands of all types, gypsies, people handing out food they had prepared, etc. They were great. Overall: A must-do race!

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