Paris, not just for Romance any more!

Louise and Phil Wood took to the streets of Paris the first weekend of April hoping to find new PBs at the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris.

Both are members of the “World of Pete” training group and had been training hard over the winter with eyes on improving their times at their favourite marathon course in Paris. Lou had sadly been plagued with injuries and niggles in the months leading up to the race, whilst Phil had managed to somehow stay injury free despite the arduous training plan. Often running 6 sessions and topping 50-60 miles per week, training was hard, in all weathers and ranged from shorter runs of 45-60 mins out to 20 miles +, and some fairly intense track sessions! It was a tough but enjoyable build up.

Weeks of speculation over strikes and protests were finally laid to rest in the week before, and with a week or so of no planned disruptions the pair headed to Paris on the Thursday before to collect their bibs and do a bit of sight seeing before resting for the race.

Paris lay on a “run for all” on the Saturday, a gentle 4-5k run designed as a leg stretch, just having fun from the townhall ending up at the Eiffel tower. This was a welcome distraction to get the legs moving before a day of rest prior to the big day on the Sunday. Well worth doing if you ever take on this particular challenge.

Sunday came and despite a tight timeline getting to the start line, both toed the line on the cobbles of the Champs Elysees where they were eventually released downhill to the Place de Concorde on their way to 42k around the City of Light. The weather was near perfect, 7-8 degrees, overcast and the rain had stopped, with a little bit of a breeze. Taking in the sights around this amazing course is all part of the fun and eventually, after a few rolling hills and more cobbles, just after half way you end up running for a good few k along the Seine before heading back toward the Avenue Foch and the finish line near the Arc de Triomphe to celebrate your own triumph at completing the event. The support all around was amazing, but the last 3k were electric, with scenes not dissimilar to the Tour De France with crowds filling the streets around the course, clapping and cheering you on with the customary runners alongside you in the road and cheers of “allez allez” from the enthusiastic spectators.

And triumph they did, both achieving new PBs, with Louise hitting 3hrs 23 minutes 52 seconds and Phil joining the sub 3 club in 2 hrs 58 minutes and 53 seconds, opening the way to London next year, a great weekend and an amazing overseas marathon to boot!