Paris Marathon 2018

This thread has been rolling since 2005-2006 times and renews itself every year. We're a friendly, supportive bunch. Many people keep coming back to run the same marathon and there are always new 'faces' on the thread. So join in, introduce yourself. We've always got lots to talk about and sometimes it even has to do with running and Paris. Welcome

Paris Marathon official website

ASO Challenges website - you need to have an account with ASO to register for the race

Medical Certificate

You will need a certificate signed and stamped from your doctor, download the certificate from the Paris Marathon website. http://www.schneiderelectricparismarathon.com/us/registration/medical-certificate

Some doctors do it for free, others a minimum consultancy charge.  Take it with you if you have to see the doctor between now and the race.

Travel

Eurostar is a personal favourite to Gare du Nord as you arrive in the centre of Paris.  Tickets available begining of October.

EXPO

If possible arrive on the Friday as the Expo is extremely busy on the Saturday.  If you must go to the Expo on the Saturday, don’t worry, others have and they survived.

To get to the Expo.  GARE DU NORD, take Metro 4 direction Maire de Monterouge, change at MONTPARNASSE, Metro 12 to PORTE DE VERSAILLES.

You will require; ??? 

  • ID ??? 
  • Medical Certificate ??? 
  • Convocation (Confirmation slip, printed off the ASO website, available 2 weeks before the race. ASO will send you an email reminder)  

You will be given your bib, a ticket for the bag drop and 4 safety pins. Also a basic goody bag; plastic bin liner, sponge, water bottle, bumbag….

Saturday Evening

We have our own meet up at a pasta restaurant, numbers are confirmed a couple of weeks before the race.

Race Day

The Arc de Triomphe.  Metro station Charles de Gaulle Etoile. RER A. Metro lines 1, 2, 6

Bag drop.

You can take any bag to the drop zone, attach your ticket to the handle.  Allow 15 minutes to walk from the Arc to the bag drop and back.

Group Photo.

Our second meeting point, at 8am we have a group photo.  Facing the Arc with back to the Champs, we’ll be by the right leg.  This gives the fast runners time to get to their pens.

There are limited portaloos in the pens and urinals. Some go in the side streets and even in the pen. It happens, if you get caught short you’ll understand.

Start Area

The Champs Eylsées is in the shade, it can be very cold, bring throw away clothes to discard in the pen.  Wait until last minute because there are staggered starts.

The pens are split in two, each pen goes one after the other then one side of the pen, then the other. Last pen leaves just after 10 am.

The Race

The course is fairly flat however start is downhill for 2km, it is easy to get carried away and start too fast. There is a small climb at 32km depending on your race, you’ll either not notice it or it will seem like Everest.  Save Energy, not time.

There are makers every kilometre and mile.  

Water stations every 5km. 33cl bottled water. 

There are two sports drink stations one at 28km, this year it was Isostar in small cups.

You start on the Champs Elysées, down to the Concorde, pass the Louvre, around the Bastille, around the Bois de Vincennes back along the Seine, Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower, up to to Roland Garros and the Longchamps race course, around Bois de Boulogne and finishing along avenue Foch with the Arc de Triomphe in the background.  The support is great and your own supporters can cheer you on 3-6 occasions along the route.  In the two woods (Bois), the support is sparse but generally there is a great atmosphere.

Sunday night

Come to the pub, 3rd meet up, wear your medal with pride. No matter your time, you have earned that medal.  Everyone will be sharing their race stories.   Please say hello, tell us your pen and bib number, perhaps a little about yourselves.  If the thread moves on or life gets in the way, doesn’t matter join in when you can.

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Comments

  • have done this race 3 times. Last year I did Paris and London, and did pretty well so considering doing the same for 2018. Have my place in London already. Entry is closed at the moment but opening up in September.
  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    Great idea Jimbob!  

    I'd thoroughly recommend everyone who is running Paris to join this thread. There's a great amount of knowledge and support :-) 

    I won't be joining next year but hope to be back in 2019!
  • Still my favourite marathon. Run it six times and supported three times. I'll probably be elsewhere next year but I recommend it for a big city race atmosphere, a potentially fast course, and hey, it's a weekend in Paris.
  • Eggyh73Eggyh73 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2017
    My favourite race, having ran it five of the last six years, but I'm another who'll be missing next year as I have other plans in place.

    I know come the race weekend my heart will be in Paris though. Nothing but good memories of the Paris meet ups.

    One thing looking at the course description, it's slightly out of date. Last year they altered the route into the park of death, so you no longer run past Roland Garros.
  • EHNEHN ✭✭✭

    I am signed up ...all I need to do now is get back to doing some running:) Thanks for bringing this thread alive The Jimbob .. great stuff!!

  • Let me know your bib numbers and starting zone (colour) and i'll start a list.
  • StephAStephA ✭✭✭
    Hi all, I'm joining in as I've signed up for the Paris marathon 2018 - which will be my first marathon. In fact, I'm only running my first ever Half marathon mid-September, so excited and nervous all at once!! I don't suppose I'll be particularly fast (have put myself in the pink zone), but hoping to surprise myself!!
  • LloydRLloydR ✭✭✭
    You won't regret it StephA.
    I did Paris as my first marathon in 2014 and have now run it three times. It can be addictive!
  • EHNEHN ✭✭✭

    What a way to start StephaA.....I am a big fan of Paris and like a lot of others keep on coming back . 

     Thanks The Jimbob I am Green 44777. 

  • StephAStephA ✭✭✭
    Thanks LloydR & EHN - it sounds like I've chosen a good first marathon!! Paris is my favourite city in the world, so I figured that running around the city I love most will be added motivation!!

    The route looks pretty good for supporters to be able to cheer you on in a few locations - any thoughts as to the best supporter spots?

    The Jimbob, I am Pink 69194 - thanks!!
  • Eggyh73Eggyh73 ✭✭✭
    StephA you've picked a great marathon for your first.
  • Congrats StephA ..... you'll have a ball. Good luck with the half and training. Keep us updated on how you get with your races and training. Marathon training can be tough, there are highs and lows, and aches and pains but we're all in it together. You'll get some support on this thread
  • Hi Steph. There will be more chat nearer the time, but from memory there's a place at about 5k (Place Felix Eboué, I think), then they can easily pop across the course to see you somewhere around the halfway mark, then get on the Metro and to somewhere around the finish. Bastille is always an option because you go past there twice, but it's massively busy and you may not see each other.
  • Hi everyone, Excited to see this thread. I'm all signed up for Paris 2018 along with my husband. It's both of our 2nd marathon, we've both done London, him in 2013 and me in 2015. 

    We've booked flights and airbnb so just a small matter of training now. Bring on April! 
  • I'm in green 45840

  • LloydRLloydR ✭✭✭
    Welcome to the gang Fleet Girl. You will love it. Such a great city to run.
  • StephAStephA ✭✭✭
    Fleet Girl, sounds like you're very organised! I'm trying to make a decision on accommodation-I'd never usually choose to stay anywhere near the champs Elysee but wondering if I should consider it. We're going to book the Eurostar when booking opens. 
  • Steph - you can get to the start easily on the Metro in the morning if you're staying elsewhere, but staying near the Arc does make it that bit more relaxed on race day. You also don't need to bother with the bag drop if you're staying nearby. 
  • Hey hey, signed up for Paris 2018 whilst riding the high of completing Barca earlier this year. Looking forward to this!!
  • Eggyh73Eggyh73 ✭✭✭
    Welcome to the thread danielofsmith and Fleet Girl.

    StephA - Running Rodent is correct that anywhere near to the Arc is easiest for the start/finish. That said, I've stayed in Montmartre for all five of my Paris marathons and the Metro has been quick and easy for getting to and from the marathon.
  • StephAStephA ✭✭✭
    Thanks Eggy and Running Rodent - my main concern with relying on the metro is really how I'll feel after the race!! Will I want to / be able to trek up and down the steps to the metro ha ha?! I don't love the area around the Arc but think its probably the sensible option.
  • Hi All, I'll be way back in Green 68716. Did London in 2015 and 2016 and am hoping to do it again next year for a charity, so going for two in two weeks (I know!!) I believe it should be possible :)
  • Steph - I'm staying near the arc, don't really know Paris in fairness so no idea what the good places to stay are. 

    Will still have to use the baggage drop though as we're checking out on the Sunday and flying home that evening! We'll have been away since Friday and can't really leave the children for longer than that.  Just hope I finish in time to get the flight! 

    Steph (I'm a steph too)
  • Dan - I've entered the ballot as usual but unlikely to be running 2 in 2 weeks! If by some miracle I get in I'll join you. 
  • Eggy and Lloyd - thanks for the welcome.
  • <blockquote class="Quote">
    <div class="QuoteAuthor"><a href="/profile/danthevan">danthevan</a> said:</div>
    <div class="QuoteText">Hi All, I'll be way back in Green 68716. Did London in 2015 and 2016 and am hoping to do it again next year for a charity, so going for two in two weeks (I know!!) I believe it should be possible :)</div>
    </blockquote>
    <blockquote class="Quote">
    <div class="QuoteAuthor"><a href="/profile/Fleet%20Girl">Fleet Girl</a> said:</div>
    <div class="QuoteText">Dan - I've entered the ballot as usual but unlikely to be running 2 in 2 weeks! If by some miracle I get in I'll join you. </div>
    </blockquote>
     Going for the same -- fingers crossed!! 
  • Welcome new & old.

    I'm returning for some unfinished business with the patisseries of Paris, red 3451.

    I'm also doing the "double".
  • Thanks Fleet Girl, danielofsmith and Maccatheknacca. Knowing I'm not the only loony certainly makes me feel a bit better :p
  • StephAStephA ✭✭✭
    Fleet Girl, the area near the arc is fine and safe, its just quiet of an evening (other than the champs) - it doesn't have all the cafes and bakeries that you might expect from Paris that line the streets in some areas. Its still beautiful and lots of lovely architecture.

    Good luck to anyone even considering the "double", that sounds a stretch to far for me!!

    Maccatheknacca, love your attitude, I think it will be the promise of the patisseries that will get me round...
  • Eggyh73Eggyh73 ✭✭✭
    I did the double back in 2013. That was a one off for me. My body decided it had enough of running around mile 20 of London. If our very own Jimbob hadn't shoved some jelly babies in my hand and shoved me on my way I'd probably still be on The Embankment!
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