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Paris 2013 Marathon Experience

  • 10-04-2013 11:01pm
    #1
    UnderDogs
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭


    I've ran Dublin 2011, Chicago 2012 and Paris 2013. Let me start by saying Dublin was close to Chicago in terms of atmosphere and organisation. Paris was a shambles IMO.
    At approx. 8k, there was a chicane, where only 4 abreast could get through. This from almost 30 abreast in the few meters before it.
    At 10k, a mid 50yo woman and her dog decided she was crossing the road, regardless! Later a guy pushing his broken down motorbike across the road, countless women with buggies shouting at runners to get off the road.
    My biggest complaint though has to be the water stations. Only on one side of the road. It caused a nightmare. People crossing, pushing, punches being thrown. To add the chaos, there were bins on the other side of the road, with targets on the back, so you had to watch out for flying bottles. I saw a few runners getting hit, but not me, so that cheered me up.
    Marshalling was almost non-existent. At the start, I couldn’t enter the start-pens as Joe-public were blocking the entrance. When I eventually got in, I found more Joe-public in the area, some taking photos, others picking up disguarded clothes and filling their carry-all’s.
    At the 12k mark around Vincennes, the public narrowed the road, Tour De France style. This would have been fine later on, but I was in with the 4hr group and lost out on the group as the road became too narrow. I don’t recall too many French calling out, The English, Scots, Aussies & NZ’s were very, very vocal, all due credit.
    At the 22k mark, I saw a guy getting hit with a highlighter from a window above, guys hanging out the windows, throwing items, nothing that the organisers could do about scum like that.
    Cobble-stones are tough on the road, but mix this with banana / orange peel, water & sugar and it might as well been ice-skating. I slipped, I saw several others slip. Dangerous. One girl slipped, fell and cut her head. Paris is a big/beautiful city. Other roads could be used to avoid so much cobble-stone. Running in the tunnel was different and even unnecessary, but the air driven by fans, with the smell of urine and vomit (from a guy in front) was disgusting. The off-ramp was also cobble-stones; I walked down this, not wanting to risk it.
    Toilets or lack of them! As a result, I witnessed a woman defecating on clothes, disgusting I know but I can understand why. Some portaloos around the route, but some were hidden behind the feeding stations! Strange decision
    All that aside, the atmosphere for the last 10k, up to the finish was enjoyable. The scenery though if terrific, and the finish with the view of the Arc was fantastic.
    Glad I have it done and finished it.
    Won’t be back and unfortunately, will not recommend it. It’s a BIG marathon with over 40k starters that to me, deserve better.
    Tagged:


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