Paris Marathon 2019

191012141523

Comments

  • <blockquote class="Quote">
    <div><a rel="nofollow">StephA</a> said:</div>
    <div>@DavidRuns if at all possible, I would strongly recommend dropping your bags at your hotel before heading for the expo. What time do you arrive at CDG and where are you staying? I’ll try and help with routes if you let me know. The RER train goes from CDG to central Paris-I think that’s just under €20 or you can get an official taxi at the taxi rank for a fixed €50 or €55 depending on where you’re staying (avoid anyone trying to steer you to an unlicensed taxi!!)</div>
    </blockquote>
    That’s good advice. I’m staying at the holiday inn 24 Rue de Miromesnil, 75008 Paris, France. Any advice is appreciated and I’ll definitly take your advice on the taxi if I use one
  • <blockquote class="Quote">
    <div><a rel="nofollow">mentes</a> said:</div>
    <div>I am in the grey pen as well, with bib number 63610!</div>
    </blockquote>
    Excellent! Ill see you there 😀

     <a rel="nofollow">baldstan</a> said:<blockquote class="Quote">

    <div><div>DavidRuns, Paris is a great choice for a first marathon. One thing to watch out for on the Saturday though will be any gilets jaunes protests. Some Saturdays when the protests have been bad they have closed the city centre metro stations. The Expo is far enough out not to be affected, but it might slow you down if you're trying to get to a hotel around the Champs Elysee, or trying to change at L'Etoile.</div><div>Andyc I've not done Tokyo yet, but would love to, probably not until the kids leave home though and I can take time to see some of the country as well. Dom sounds like it's a case of chancing the ballot then, so may have to give it a few goes. I'm hoping I might make Boston next year though. I missed the cut off by 7 seconds for this year, but they've tightened up the qualifying times for 2020 so I'll have to get a PB to have a chance.
    </div></div>
    </blockquote>

    I’ll bear that in mind thank you! Sounds like the marathon might be the easy part! 😂

    time me to get the last long run in before the taper! Thanks everyone!
  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭
    edited March 2019
    Agree about Tokyo - unbelievable organisation but they did take my drinks bottle off me before entering the pen but they did not notice i had another at the bottom of my bag. thought the helpers with the rubbish bags every 10 yards was brilliant - never seen a cleaner race - no dodging empty bottles on the floor. I too lucked in on the ballot - first time entering too :) 

    looking at what flights are left now - left it late because of the issues with the medical certificate - looks like arriving late Friday night or first thing Saturday morning. 

    did not notice Boston has got harder to qualify for - was possibly going to be one of my last marathons before possibly giving the knees a rest - did it in 2014 the year after the bombing - to say it was an emotional weekend for everyone was an understatement - coming down the finish will always be the highlight of my time running - got hugged at the end by a huge cop who was in tears as he just said 'thankyou' (he saw my GB vest and thanked us for coming over to support it) - it was just goosebump time!

    Got a good 20m done in a nice 2h 30m over the weekend - felt strangely good considering training has been poor this year - going for the muscle memory tactic this year i think. 
  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭
    ... and the new Nike Epic Reacts arrive today ready for the race :)
  • StephAStephA ✭✭✭
    Well, its taper time!! I hope everyone is feeling in good shape - I came down with a cold on Thursday so dragged myself round yesterday feeling weak as a kitten - rather than completely miss my final long run as I felt so bad, I actually used Jeff Galloway's run/walk method - at every mile mark, I walked for 1 minute and bizarrely, I was no slower than usual, the miles felt like they went quicker and my legs feel in great shape today..!
    There is a big question mark over whether all of my toenails will make it to Paris ha ha!!

    @DavidRuns - I had a little look at your best public transport route to your hotel, there's no way to do it without a couple of changes and buses don't help make it any easier.

    RER B (train) from Charles de Gaulle airport to Gare du Nord.

    Metro line 4 (in the direction of Maire de Montrouge), change at Strasbourg-Saint-Denis

    Metro line 9 (in the direction of Pont de Sevres) to Miromesil

    To get to the Expo from your hotel, probably best to walk to Madeleine metro station and jump on line 12 (in the direction of Mairie d’Issy) off at Porte de Versailles and the Expo is well signposted.

    The metro is simple to use as long as you’re always aware of the final stop on the line in your direction of travel as that’s how to identify which platform to use.

    You’ll need a ticket for the overground train from the airport to Gare du Nord, then you can us the t+ tickets around Paris – you can buy a book (or a Carnet) of 10 t+ tickets for around €15 and you can use them on the metro, buses and RER in the central Paris area.



  • Webby4216Webby4216 ✭✭✭
    Well done on all the long runs everyone. Got in a 20M last week and a final 21M yesterday both with over half at planned marathon pace which has been good for the confidence. Looking forward to the taper now and getting excited for the day!

    Training this year has been a step up from last year, ran more consistently and higher mileage (got a 50 mile week in last week for the first time ever) so hopefully that all translates to a good time in a few weeks.

    Arriving in Paris on the Friday and hoping to get to the expo that afternoon/evening to pick up my race bib. That way I can have a bit more a relaxed Saturday.
  • Hi all, 

    Hope the training is culminating well for everyone. Best of luck to everyone on the big day.

    Could I get a copy of the spectator's guide please? 

    Thanks! 
  • Hope everyone’s final long runs went ok! Did Ashby 20 on Sunday. Time was a bit off what I’d hoped for before I got injured but it was a hilly course and the leg felt good so hopeful for a decent time still.

    More excitingly I sourced a medical certificate and it was approved! Do we also need to take it to the Expo or does that mean that part is done?
  • Webby4216Webby4216 ✭✭✭
    @JamieSullivan guide sent to you

    @rachaeltoon I think if it's uploaded and approved then it's all done, maybe someone else can confirm who has done it before. I've probably going to take mine along anyway just in case! 
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    Last long run done and dusted, 21m in yesterday's sunshine. Same as you Webby, have uploaded the medical cert and got the OK email from the organisers. I read somewhere the queues for the bibs for those who've uploaded their certificates and been accepted are less. Taking my certificate along just in case. 1 more week of heavy ish mileage then taper time. 
  • See you all there...if I can get on the Eurostar on the 12 April
  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    I'm travelling out on the 11th so hopefully it will still be fine then. Just a bit worried about what it's going to be like trying to get back on the Monday. Hope it doesn't involve a lot of standing around.
    Well done on everyone's long runs especially for people nursing an injury. It feels good to have it in the bag. I'm going to try and keep my mileage up this week and start the taper after the Kingston 16 on Sunday. I've been so nervous about getting injured I think I've tapered a bit too much in the past, so interested to see if this makes a difference.
    andy I think something like 7,000 people with qualifying times didn't make the cut off for Boston this year (it was 4'52" under the qualifying standard) so they've reduced all the qualifying times by 5 minutes, making some of the BQ times for men the same as London, and for women some BQ times are now much harder than GFA for London.
  • KhanivoreKhanivore ✭✭✭
    My friend wants to know if headphones are allowed if they are a) normal heaphones and b) aftershockz ones. Anyone know?
  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    As far as I know in theory they are banned by the French Athletics Federation - they're included in the list of performance enhancing devices so it doesn't distinguish between normal headphones and aftershokz - but certainly last time I ran in 2017 lots of people were wearing them and I didn't see anyone stopping them.
  • Eggyh73Eggyh73 ✭✭✭
    Pretty sure they’re banned and for good reason. I’ve seen a few runners have to be dragged to the side of the road in Paris as they wore them anyway and couldn’t hear an ambulance trying to get through behind them.
  • baldstanbaldstan ✭✭✭
    Here's the regulation which the FFA introduced in 2015:
    Le Règlement Sportif de la FFA n'autorise pas les aides apportées aux athlètes en compétition, que ce soit par utilisation de certains matériels (règle F144.2 (b), prohibant radio, lecteur de cassette ou cd, téléphone portable ou équipement similaire), ou en ayant recours à un ou des accompagnateurs. Les podomètres ou GPS ne sont pas considérés comme une aide.

  • phronesisphronesis ✭✭✭
    I emailed them and asked if headphones were permitted this was their answer: 

    Yes you can wear them but pay attention to security measure from our volunteers.
  • KhanivoreKhanivore ✭✭✭
    oh wow thanks! I'll let my friend know. I won't be wearing them myself as I don't want to lug my phone around with me. I thought technology was meant to make things SMALLER not BIGGER! :) 

    I got a text saying i needed to submit my medical by 3rd April! I'm going to be holiday though. Is this only for people who want to submit online? I can still submit in person during registration, right?
  • phronesisphronesis ✭✭✭
    On that I’m not sure. 
  • @Khanivore I got the same text and on their website it says you can take it to the expo. I have uploaded mine anyway but will still be taking the hard copy along, and the electronic copy I uploaded, just in case!
  • Hi All, I'm doing the Paris marathon for the 4th time, but the first since being out of action for a couple of years so I am a lot slower. I know there is a cut off time of 6 hours but looking at last year's results people were still getting finish line photos much later than that, and a chip time. I also heard a rumour that many finishers last year didn't get a medal over 6 hours. Not sure what to believe/expect. I hope to finish in 5 and a half to 6 hours but really not confident. Has anyone taken more than 6 hours (I assume that's chip not gun time) or known someone who has, in recent years, and still got a medal? Apologies if this has already been covered in the current discussion - I have searched and not found anything.
  • Eggyh73Eggyh73 ✭✭✭
    @clairejones - I know in previous years that there have been people on the forum who went over the time limit and still got their medal. The time limit is certainly chip time, not gun time.
  • KhanivoreKhanivore ✭✭✭
    @Khanivore I got the same text and on their website it says you can take it to the expo. I have uploaded mine anyway but will still be taking the hard copy along, and the electronic copy I uploaded, just in case!
    Thanks Claire - really helpful info. That buys me some more time when i get back from hols!
  • RudiRudi ✭✭
    <blockquote class="Quote">
    <div class="QuoteAuthor"><a href="/profile/clairejones">clairejones</a> said:</div>
    <div class="QuoteText">Hi All, I'm doing the Paris marathon for the 4th time, but the first since being out of action for a couple of years so I am a lot slower. I know there is a cut off time of 6 hours but looking at last year's results people were still getting finish line photos much later than that, and a chip time. I also heard a rumour that many finishers last year didn't get a medal over 6 hours. Not sure what to believe/expect. I hope to finish in 5 and a half to 6 hours but really not confident. Has anyone taken more than 6 hours (I assume that's chip not gun time) or known someone who has, in recent years, and still got a medal? Apologies if this has already been covered in the current discussion - I have searched and not found anything.</div>
    </blockquote>
    Claire, I can relate to what you are saying. Paris will be my 6th marathon (2 of those were ultra-marathons). I will run this one after a break of three years nursing an injury. My mararhon career was always to focus on getting the medal. PBs etc not really a concern. Only focussed on finishing. You managed to finish all the training? Should help in giving your confidence.
  • StephAStephA ✭✭✭
    @clairejones I did see footage from last year of people well over the time limit who weren't allowed to cross the finish line.
    Which start pen are you in? I wonder if you could change yourself to a faster start pen, so you go off earlier and effectively give yourself extra time that way? If you go off with the final start pen, maybe that's where the cut off time becomes more of an issue? 
  • Bex89Bex89 ✭✭
    Hi everyone, 

    I am very new to running forums and to the Paris marathon! I hope everyone’s training has gone well and we are excited for the big day. It is great to see some very experienced and friendly runners gathered in one place. 

    Really quick question about the medical certificate, after a system mess up at my GP (booked an appointment to see a doctor but saw a nurse instead), the doctor has signed my certificate but stated that they haven’t examined me and can’t provide an opinion on my participation in future events but that my previous records don’t offer any contraindications...how particular will race organisers be? Do I pester my GP further for an appointment with them to examine me? I have run 3 marathons previously 🤷🏼‍♀️

    The thought of turning up up and being told I can’t run when I and my friends have spent so much money and had this arranged for so long makes me feel very anxious 🤣

    Thank you in advance and sorry for bombarding the forum with a question in my first post!

    Bex 😊
  • RudiRudi ✭✭
    @Bex89 I will pester my GP further for an appointment/medical examination. The thought of being turned away due to an incomplete medical certificate is going to be devastating as you correctly indicated. This medical certificate thing is a  <span>schlep but a legitimate race requirement.  </span> 
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    Bex89 - Tippex/ Cut out out of the offending comments if you can to create a clean copy of the certificate.  Digitally send on the timeto web.  Hopefully and most likely you will get the OK email.  It took them less than 24 hours to OK mine.     
  • Thank you all for your comments. @StephA I am in the final pen. There is no option of moving up a pen but our strategy is to get as close to the front of our pen as we can which should buy extra time. Can you point me in the direction of the footage? And do you know how far over the 6 hours they were? On the results page from last year I have seen people's finishing photos and chip times up to almost 7 hours, the last recorded finishers seem to only have a gun time presumably because they took the timing mat away but still finished. The longest was 8hrs 14, but that's gun time, chip time would have been about 7 hours. Don't know if they got medals though.

    @Rudi just got one more 20 mile run on Sunday (my body doesn't like 3 week tapers, I have to do 2!) Last one was 4hrs 28 but in gale force winds. I would previously be passing 20 miles at around 3hrs 30-45 in my earlier marathons so I'm a lot slower. Without the wind though I think it would have been around 4 hours but I just don't know what to expect from my body after 20 miles as I don't have the condition or endurance that I used to have.... yet! It's coming but slowly. So I'm hopeful that I'll be under 6 just want to be prepared for if I'm not!!

    @Bex89 my GP sent me to the nurse to do my blood pressure, pulse and oxygen sats and then signed the form. That was all he felt was needed. Maybe ask them, or do what @OuchOuch says. Definitely get it sorted one way or another though, you don't want to turn up and be turned away.
Sign In or Register to comment.