On 5 April I ran the Paris Marathon for the second time. My first experience, back in 2005, was mixed: overall a good run and a pleasing time, but too many gripes about the organisation. This year was no different.
Because I will be running the London Marathon on 26 April the plan was not to run a fast race, rather to get round and enjoy it. All was well up to mile 11, but after that I had to ease back due to a niggly calf injury I picked up three weeks ago. Then at mile 18 when running up a small incline where the course makes its way alone the Seine my leg went into spasm and I thought I may have to drop out. I took a couple of minutes to stretch it as best I could, and then somehow got through the last 8 miles. Seems silly writing that now as 8 miles is hardly a short distance, but when you have done 18 it never feels too bad! The last two miles in particular were quite quick (all things considered) mainly because I still wanted to break four hours. Though it was the slowest time of all my marathons it was in many ways my most satisfactory race: just making it to the finish line felt such a relief.
The weather was very good, which meant the crowds were bigger (though not by much) than in 2005 when the weather was pretty poor, but for an international race that this year cost more than £40 to enter, the organisation leaves a lot to be desired.
It didn’t start well. At the start runners were made to exit a metro station, go away from the start to drop off baggage, then turn around again to head for the start line against the flow of all the other runners. This walk includes going around the Arc de Triomphe roundabout – which is not closed to traffic. Crazy. Coupled with the fact there is no signage or tannoy announcements at the baggage area gave a mildly chaotic feel.
And it didn’t get any better. Poorly staffed and positioned drinks stations, so bad that at the first one a bottleneck developed and runners came to a complete stop and then had to walk for a couple of minutes, plus a burned out van on the course through the Bois de Vincennes, only added to the feeling that this was slapdash. My brother felt the same way too.
These sorts of issues might be ok for a small local race, but not one with only 30 000 runners and has been going for more than 30 years. What other big city marathons do – London in particular – is to think about the runner. Paris fails completely in this regard. Good logistics and organisation means taking the stress away from competitors. They have enough to think about with running the 26.2 miles.
Runners can provide some feedback to the organisers here.
I hope they listen and make changes. We deserve better.