Paris Marathon 2020

Nells · January 2020

I missed my 'L'SR yesterday as I had visitors, so did my medium Wednesday run instead at 7 miles. Should have been 13, but I'm hoping I can fit that in tomorrow. It's taken quite a bit of head-scratching to work out how I can switch the week around. I'm still not 100% sure if I'll be running Paris as I got a last minute place for London, and the timing for that one suits me better plan-wise, so if I am running Paris, it will be as my final LSR for London! My plan has 3 x 20 milers, and one 21 which would be the Paris weekend, so an extra 5 at leisurely pace shouldn't do too much damage!

I'm quite chuffed with how things are going though - ran parkrun on Saturday and it was my fastest time since October 2018. I had been getting a bit despondent after a run of things going wrong and seeing my year of birth getting further and further away and my times getting slower and slower, but feel like I'm finally getting somewhere recently.

Orbutt · January 2020

Nells congratulations on your Parkrun time. It's great when things start to click.
London, baby!
Did you know that the marathon distance of 26.2 miles became the standard during the London Olympics in 1908? That's why London is THE marathon. However, Paris is where the cool kids run 😁
Paris would be a great LSR for London, as long as you run it at LSR pace and aren't sped up by the crowd.

Nells · January 2020

Thanks Orbutt!

I do have a bit of a problem with getting swept along in a crowd, so will have to try a few tricks to stop myself going off like a lunatic in Paris!

Orbutt · January 2020

We'll have to come up with some ideas to slow you down.
You could run in wellies tied together with a short piece of string 😂

phronesis · January 2020

Is it usual that we end up running about a kilometre longer than the official marathon distance at Paris?

Orbutt · January 2020

Phronesis. I have never run a 42.2k marathon. Always over but this can be due to a number of reasons.
Theres straying from the measured line, which can add a bit especially on some of the corners.
The big buildings can bounce GPS signals all over the place - I did Chicago and the GPS track looks like it was drawn by someone sitting on a washing machine on spin.
However, the big one in Paris is the 4 tunnels. The first one is 1km long and that can mess with any GPS, especially if you dont have a watch that measures cadence or a foot pod and your watch loses signal.
The only way to be certain is to use the km markers at the side of the road and use your watch as a timer - combine it with a paceband and you can check where you are against your projected time.
Or wing it and run like the wind 🙂

Eggyh73 · January 2020

As Orbutt noted you’ll certainly always measure longer than 42.2km for the run. That’s been the case for every marathon I’ve ran.

The tunnels in Paris can screw up some GPS calculations, but there’s also the fact very few runners are going to be following the race line in a busy event like this.

Use your watch for time, but course markers for distance.

Running Rodent · January 2020

It’s the same with many big city marathons - in London your GPS is most likely to do weird things around the Canary Wharf area.

Orbutt · January 2020

Following on from the discussion about 65,000 entries, one of my friends posted the pen start time diagram.
Theres quite a gap between the pens. 90 minutes between the first pen and the last.

phronesis · January 2020

Thanks Orbutt, Egghy and RR. I remember passing a lot of people last year and doing little semi circles around them as I did which also adds distance.

NatMac · January 2020

Thanks Orbutt, that's really useful!! Sorry what does SAS mean - is it the pen? And the starting / closing times... Is it when the pen starts moving, and the time that it shuts off for the next pen? Apologies for all the questions... and you said previously that the pens are in the shade, so it can be a long cold wait - is that the case?

Nells · January 2020

NatMac - You can ignore the SAS, just look at the other words, so start time is when the front of that pen is released into the wild, closing time is when they shut the entrance to the pen. It can be a bit of a scramble if you leave it to the last minute, but also unless you're keen to be right at the front of your pen, there's really no need to get there super early.

If I recall, if it's a sunny day then you might be in full sunshine at the start. Not sure if one side is more in the shade than the other (as well as being split into pens, there are two sides, so if you go in on the left hand side, you can't cross the middle to the right. One side sets off before the other, so if you're in the side that goes second, there will be even more of a wait before you set off but I don't think they say which side will go first in advance so it's pot luck!)

I think you're in the pink pen - if so there's usually a group of us that are in the rear pens that go off to a very civilised cafe near the Arc before the start for a quick coffee and to use their porcelain facilities before walking over to the start. So much nicer than queuing for the portaloos! And you'll be sure of company to calm the nerves as you get to the start.

Orbutt · January 2020

Paris is different to most races, in that they will hold you in your pen until it is your start time. This means that when it comes the time for the people at the back to start, they can have a fair walk along the Champs Elysee, through the earlier - now empty - pens, before they even reach the front pen and the start line.

The Champs Elysee is East facing, which means that you are facing into the sun. If you are in one of the early pens then the sun won't have been up long so it can be chilly. However, by the time it gets to the later pens the sun will be up and then you are dependent upon the weather. A sunny day and the pens can be hot. A chilly or wet day and it can be pretty cold.

Always wear disposable clothes over your kit on race day, if it's hot this can be thrown away when you are warm enough. On a cold day you can take this off when your pen has moved to the start line. If it's raining then a plastic poncho can be a lifesaver and you can wear this whilst you run - as long as your number is visible through it.
The sun in your eyes can produce some strange illusions when you're in the pen.

Radar Sal · January 2020

I highly recommend starting at the back of the pen. They’ll remove the separation tapes as it’s moved forward but you’ll have much more space than the crush at the front which also has the pacers. You'll likely get swept up into going too fast to begin with too as the champs elysees is also slightly downhill. It’s ok and you’ll settle once your around Concorde. So if you’re going for 4hrs, head to the purple pen that’s 3:45-4hrs etc. Don’t panic though on your pen, you can change at the expo.
If you’re worried about the number of runners and how to deal with it try a few shorter races during your training (parkruns, 10kms, halfs) so you can get a feel for running among others and dealing with feed/water stations.

Orbutt · January 2020

Great tip Radar Sal. I did it by accident one year. The photos above were at the back of the pen as we had moved forward.
Look at all the space.
Unless people were keeping clear of me,for some reason 😂

Eggyh73 · January 2020

Great advice from Nells, Radar Sal and Orbutt.

As someone so pale they are almost allergic to sunlight I can confirm there is no shade in the start pens. In fact the first ten miles are pretty much running directly into the sunlight, although if you stick to the left hand side of the avenues at that point there is some shade from the buildings. The last time I ran Paris it was a warm one and I nailed running along the gutter in the shade, much to the amusement of anyone from Southern Europe.

As noted, it can be cold early in the morning, so disposable clothing is always worth bringing.

phronesis · January 2020

NatMac said:

Thanks Orbutt, that's really useful!! Sorry what does SAS mean - is it the pen? And the starting / closing times... Is it when the pen starts moving, and the time that it shuts off for the next pen? Apologies for all the questions... and you said previously that the pens are in the shade, so it can be a long cold wait - is that the case?

A sas is a French noun for a double entry security door. The kind you have at certain posh jewellers.

Orbutt · January 2020

I like to learn something new each day. Thanks phronesis, for providing today”s

Orbutt · January 2020

The app is telling me that I have successfully completed a number of challenges, including the 14kmh challenge.
Not only could I not run anywhere near that speed but I didn’t even enter the challenge 😁
What a very generous app.

KeyserSuze · January 2020

Hello! *waves* I'm coming back into training after falling down the stairs at home just after Christmas, and tearing my piriformis muscle! Made a pretty darn good bruise, that's for sure. This is my fourth Paris, and I'm looking forward to seeing and meeting all of you lovelies

Orbutt · January 2020

KeyserSuze. Ouch. Hope you are recovering well.

Are you back in full training? How’s it going?

chamolk · January 2020

Yeah, looks like the app has updated and acknowledged a few challenges. Still hasn't noticed that I achieved the Hare one though.

Looks like there are a fair few of us coming a bit late to the training Keyser, hope you're nicely on the mend now

NatMac · January 2020

Wow thank you so much everyone for taking the time to write such detailed accounts of the pens and start area!! Great to tap into such a wealth of information, it's a huge help.
And I just LOVE the sound of a civilised coffee by the Arc beforehand. Very sensible 😊😊

PT71 · January 2020

Is there a deferral process as it looks like my back surgery is going to be March 3rd

Orbutt · January 2020

PT71 - that's a real case of good news/bad news.
Glad you've got a date for your op but sorry that you'll miss Paris.
I dont believe there is a deferral process.
You will have been offered cancellation insurance when you signed up. If you took this up then you could claim but other than that I think you are out of luck.

Orbutt · January 2020

I've checked the FAQ and it's as I thought. Only if you took out the insurance can you claim.
https://www.timeto.com/en-GB/sports/running/paris-marathon-2020/faq

Eggyh73 · January 2020

PT71 - I hope the surgery has you back on the road to full health quickly.

PT71 · January 2020

Thanks all, yeah I am gutted to be missing out as my training was going so well. I did have a look on the website and couldn't find anything so i feared the worst.
Good luck to all who are running and hopefully I will be back next year to run it

Orbutt · January 2020

PT71 - you'll return, stronger than ever.
Give your back the time it needs.
It's a marathon not a sprint 🙂

Eggyh73 · January 2020

PT71 - It's a real shame you're having to miss this one, but getting back to full health is the main thing. Fingers crossed the surgery goes well and that you are back to full health and running pain free.

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