Paris Marathon Reviews & Race Reports
19 reviews from runners who've completed this race
Reviews & Race Reports
The Start Line Chaos — The first few kilometers are a mix of nerves and excitement. Many runners reported feeling overwhelmed by the crowd and the chaotic start on the Champs-Élysées. A few opted to take the outside track to avoid the congestion.
The 30K Wall — After 30 kilometers, fatigue hit hard for several runners. Paces dropped significantly, with reports of struggling to maintain speed and experiencing a mental slump. This is where many felt the race truly tested their limits.
Crowd Support — The energy from spectators was a highlight for most runners. Many noted the incredible cheers, especially around landmarks like Place de la Bastille. This support helped push through tough moments, particularly when fatigue set in.
Unique Water Stations — The water stations at 5K featured 330ml bottles instead of cups, leading to some confusion. A few runners reported dodging thrown bottles, which added an unexpected challenge to the race. It’s something to be aware of when planning your hydration strategy.
Fought through pain to finish strong despite tough final miles
0-5k = the support was insane, starting down the Champ-Élysées was amazing. The start corrals were a little segmented so I'd ended up in an area without any pacers and only with my mate aiming for sub 2h50. Said goodbye to him in the first km and saw my wife and kids for the first time this race, high-fives all around! First km was downhill, with huge crowds of runners and supporters but I managed to control my pacing.
Cried with joy at Place de la Bastille during the race
The first 2km was a soup of nerves and testosterone. I took the outside track to avoid the chaos in the middle of the road, and slowly things started to calm down. I was hitting 3:35-3:40 and knew I needed to check myself. I gradually dropped to 3:50 and at km 4, I heard a stampede at my tail.
Fought through injury, nearly hit sub-3 despite training setbacks
After a caffeine gel before the start, we were away. I’d decided that the race was a bit of a free-hit due to the injury and lack of training so I was going to go out at my original goal pace (sub-3) and see how long I could cling on for. The first 5/6km ticked by and I was broadly on for around 3 hours, my HR was under control (sub-170 bpm vs max of 206) generally and I got my first gel down as I passed my family at the 7km mark.
Crashed hard after 30k, but finished strong with a fast last 2k
The first 30 kilometers were really uneventful, I was keeping a good pace and even managed to make 2 and a half minutes of extra time vs. the target. Then the climbs began and I crashed super hard - my pace went from just below 05:00/km to 05:17/km from 30th to 35th kilometer, then to shocking balls turtle speed of 05:38/km for 35th till 40th kilometer. As last time the end was way faster, got 05:05/km on the last two kilometers.
Felt strong until 37K, then struggled with boredom and tight hips
And we were off!!! The beginning felt so surreal and it didn’t hit me that I was actually running the Paris marathon after months of dedicated training until we reached faubourg Saint-Antoine after Bastille, that’s right next to the ophthalmology hospital I go to, and where my parents used to take me to get little treats after appointments as a teen. I was so happy and smiled the whole time!! I honestly felt excellent for the first 37 kilometres (23 miles), I stopped at every water station, took my gels and generally felt strong and so damn happy and accomplished!