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| Paris to Paris |
Friday 17 April 2015
Sunday 12 April 2015
#16 Paris
12th April 2016
3:53:06
A return to the city of my first marathon exactly 1 year ago, and a stonking twenty-one minutes thirty-one seconds course best.
Having now over the last year gotten myself totally involved and engrossed in the Paris Marathon thread over on the Runners World forum I'd decided to throw myself into every social opportunity over the weekend, meet up with as many people as possible and have a generally awesome time. The marathon itself was almost secondary to the experience.
Friday
Eurostar- met the first couple of runners here in departures. I was wearing my 'club' shirt so they were able to recognise me.
Expo, bib collection, met two runners here for a long chat.
We left them there and took a walk to the Eiffel Tower and sat in the sun on the Champs de Mars for a bit.
Went back to the apartment to cook up some tea and chill for the rest of the evening.
Saturday
Metro (RER) to l'Arc de Triomph for group meet up. A good turn out.
Breakfast Run in the sunshine,
Ate croissants and pain au chocolat with a few of the gang,
Mid afternoon Metro to Franklin. D Roosvelt for meet up and cinema,
Then a walk around the corner for first big meet up, photo, and on into restaurant for pasta and pizzas.
Swift metro home and early to bed.
Sunday
An early rise and back onto the RER this time.
Big meet up at l'Arc, lots of chatting, group photo, then waiting in the sunshine until it was time to head towards the pens.
Quick pee between some cars in a side street, then on into the crowds for a little dance to the blaring music while we waited for our turn to cross that line.
Race report
The race for me, with the slight downhill and the pace those around me took off from the pen I started out at the faster end of what I'd planned and kept that average pace quite well. Checking my data on Nike+, heart rate was spot on, up to 170bpm by 5miles and rising to 180bpm in the final few km.
It was obvious from the off it was going to be a hot one, and only getting hotter. I'd say I managed my hydration, electrolytes, fuelling and caffeine pretty spot on. Visor+headband+water as I'd used before on races for cooling was working a treat. Kit all good. Got some friendly remarks about the phrase on the back of the vest "Where the Foch is the finish?" As I'm sure nearly everyone running would have gotten the joke. (They're fools if they didn't)
Waved furiously at the minion support team which had claimed a fountain at around 8km and were waving their flags from there.
Enjoyed the first park- the Bois the Vincennes, bit of shade from the trees, and I'm always looking fwd to dropping down beside the Sienne for that stretch of the course,
My watch flipped out in the disco tunnel and added a whole mile on, throwing my average pace. Looking back I should have stopped my watch and started a new run so as to keep reasonable tabs on average pace. We don't think straight while out there do we eh. I also had a second watch just doing stopwatch function, but had forgotten my pace band. Disorganised!
Calf tightened a bit at 12 miles, I took a bottle of water from the next aid station, but at just past the halfway mats Phil was on the course on supporter duty. He'd been briefed to do his best to get a Powerade to me- we did the perfect baton pass to exchange drinks.
Calf continued to tighten thereafter, but I know my rhs has it's issues due to my lower back, piriformis etc so knew what the cause was. I was fearful I'd be limping by 18miles, but it didn't get much worse and as my form dropped me more onto my heels from 20miles or so it stopped hurting and didn't flare again, while running anyway.
Didn't really have any speed in me for a fast finish, which is unusual, but I blame my 'training', the heat and a cold I'd had in the last week.
I didn't really look at my watch much after 20miles which is a bit of a shame as time wise I was a meagre 19 seconds over my PB time-- though saying that I am very happy indeed to think I have the same ability in me as 6months ago with only intermittent bouts of non-specific running since then.
First time back to a single day marathon course and totally different experience though I loved them both. So great to finally complete a year of (30?) races; feels as though the loop is complete and now I'm getting psyched up and raring to go start the next one.
Post race
Burgers with a few and a good start to the unravelling of race stories.
Pub, with brownie and shortbread nibbles, lots of runners, some I hadn't met before, some partners/accopnices, some beers, some silliness, kilts, stories of highs, lows, PBs and future plans.
There were cute/humorous awards given out. I was awarded "Most marathons run in a year" which really should have gone to the person giving it to me but I am very grateful for and it will help keep me motivated.
I am massively appreciative to all the runners, supporters, lurking posters, sofa-stalkers, pub goers, grub goers, flag wavers, meet up organisers who made the weekend so special for everyone in the group and I really REALLY enjoyed every minute of it and am looking fwd to next year!
3:53:06
A return to the city of my first marathon exactly 1 year ago, and a stonking twenty-one minutes thirty-one seconds course best.
Having now over the last year gotten myself totally involved and engrossed in the Paris Marathon thread over on the Runners World forum I'd decided to throw myself into every social opportunity over the weekend, meet up with as many people as possible and have a generally awesome time. The marathon itself was almost secondary to the experience.
Friday
Eurostar- met the first couple of runners here in departures. I was wearing my 'club' shirt so they were able to recognise me.
Expo, bib collection, met two runners here for a long chat.
We left them there and took a walk to the Eiffel Tower and sat in the sun on the Champs de Mars for a bit.
Went back to the apartment to cook up some tea and chill for the rest of the evening.
 |
| Aw cute |
Metro (RER) to l'Arc de Triomph for group meet up. A good turn out.
Breakfast Run in the sunshine,
Ate croissants and pain au chocolat with a few of the gang,
 |
| Breakfast run- RHS I'm the Jack-with-a-stool flag and red headed Phil |
Then a walk around the corner for first big meet up, photo, and on into restaurant for pasta and pizzas.
Swift metro home and early to bed.
 |
| Group meet up before pasta |
An early rise and back onto the RER this time.
Big meet up at l'Arc, lots of chatting, group photo, then waiting in the sunshine until it was time to head towards the pens.
Quick pee between some cars in a side street, then on into the crowds for a little dance to the blaring music while we waited for our turn to cross that line.
 |
| Big group meet up before THE race |
The race for me, with the slight downhill and the pace those around me took off from the pen I started out at the faster end of what I'd planned and kept that average pace quite well. Checking my data on Nike+, heart rate was spot on, up to 170bpm by 5miles and rising to 180bpm in the final few km.
It was obvious from the off it was going to be a hot one, and only getting hotter. I'd say I managed my hydration, electrolytes, fuelling and caffeine pretty spot on. Visor+headband+water as I'd used before on races for cooling was working a treat. Kit all good. Got some friendly remarks about the phrase on the back of the vest "Where the Foch is the finish?" As I'm sure nearly everyone running would have gotten the joke. (They're fools if they didn't)
Waved furiously at the minion support team which had claimed a fountain at around 8km and were waving their flags from there.
Enjoyed the first park- the Bois the Vincennes, bit of shade from the trees, and I'm always looking fwd to dropping down beside the Sienne for that stretch of the course,
My watch flipped out in the disco tunnel and added a whole mile on, throwing my average pace. Looking back I should have stopped my watch and started a new run so as to keep reasonable tabs on average pace. We don't think straight while out there do we eh. I also had a second watch just doing stopwatch function, but had forgotten my pace band. Disorganised!
Calf tightened a bit at 12 miles, I took a bottle of water from the next aid station, but at just past the halfway mats Phil was on the course on supporter duty. He'd been briefed to do his best to get a Powerade to me- we did the perfect baton pass to exchange drinks.
Calf continued to tighten thereafter, but I know my rhs has it's issues due to my lower back, piriformis etc so knew what the cause was. I was fearful I'd be limping by 18miles, but it didn't get much worse and as my form dropped me more onto my heels from 20miles or so it stopped hurting and didn't flare again, while running anyway.
Didn't really have any speed in me for a fast finish, which is unusual, but I blame my 'training', the heat and a cold I'd had in the last week.
I didn't really look at my watch much after 20miles which is a bit of a shame as time wise I was a meagre 19 seconds over my PB time-- though saying that I am very happy indeed to think I have the same ability in me as 6months ago with only intermittent bouts of non-specific running since then.
First time back to a single day marathon course and totally different experience though I loved them both. So great to finally complete a year of (30?) races; feels as though the loop is complete and now I'm getting psyched up and raring to go start the next one.
Post race
Burgers with a few and a good start to the unravelling of race stories.
Pub, with brownie and shortbread nibbles, lots of runners, some I hadn't met before, some partners/accopnices, some beers, some silliness, kilts, stories of highs, lows, PBs and future plans.
There were cute/humorous awards given out. I was awarded "Most marathons run in a year" which really should have gone to the person giving it to me but I am very grateful for and it will help keep me motivated.
 |
| A few of the 'club' in the pub |
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