Paris Int'l Marathon - Race Reviews

This was a well run event with a scenic course and outstanding spectators. Some info for those considering: EXPO: Well organized, easy to change starting corral from original signup, lots of vendors. Easy to get to by Metro or car. COURSE: Fairly flat with some deceptive hills in the latter half, particularly in the Bois de Boulogne (where crowds were also sparse). Quite scenic, runs past a number of sights along the Seine and through some gorgeous neighborhoods. Excellent way to experience Paris for those who haven't visited. Main downside: lots of cobblestone, which starts to wear on your feet by the end. FOOD/DRINK: Water is all in bottles - Vittel - which was much easier to navigate than I expected (volunteers uncapped the bottles, making it easy to drink and then recycle in large bins along the route). No sports drinks and no gels, but ample bananas, sugar cubes, pieces of pastry, etc. SPECTATORS: The crowd was amazing. In only a couple of parts of the course - Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes - were crowds sparse. Otherwise they lined the streets and were exceptionally enthusiastic. A number of drumlines and bands. The only drawback is that their enthusiasm sometimes caused them to crowd the course a bit, and police were not great about asking them to step back. Some of the course was pretty narrow as a result. START/FINISH: The start was split into multiple corrals that were clearly labeled and easy to access (if crowded). Outside the corrals were port-a-potties, and inside the corrals were dozens of urinals (for both men and women). The finish was very congested, and it took a while to make it through the runners to the water/food/t-shirt/medal. The start and finish are close but not *that* close; you will do some walking if you expect to be done right at the Arc de Triomphe. Family cannot enter the finish area, so make sure to have a meeting spot picked out in the neighborhood (cafe or hotel). OTHER TAKEAWAYS: This was a large race with a very crowded course that didn't really thin out much as the race progressed. You get a medal and finisher's t-shirt upon completion, both of which I liked but were met with mixed reviews.

A bit crowded and chaotic start where people couldn't get in the pens and start groups where delayed. Water bottles not very environmentally friendly. But overall a nice flat course, nice temperature and great spectators. Enjoyed it more than than London or New York so should be a major. Very nice race.

I really enjoyed this marathon. A lovely scenic course through paris - largely flat - great supporters. It was a little cold, but bright, sunny, and no wind. On the flipside, it was chaotic at the start - v slow to get into the baggage dropoff, and a fair distance to get through the crowds to the start line (just in time!). There was only water at the fuel points, but it was in little bottles (I'd recommend carrying a screw on sucker top if possible) and they did have some other snacks on the tables. The vounteers were brilliant. I got a PB!

The organisation at the start was bit disjointed. I was in the 4h pen with a 9.30h start. I actually got to go at 10.00h. The course is flat and spectacular, passing many major landmarks (including Notre Dame, burnt down next day). Support was good in terms of food/water & people. You can book accomodation very close to the Arc de Triomphe so it is just a short stagger home from the finish line

The Paris marathon is a well-organized race in the most beautiful city. It is well-worth the trip, tour and the Marathon for any destination runners or travelers. This was my second time in Paris. This time I went with the Marathon Tours. It was fabulous. Marathon Tours made most of the arrangement, activities and tour. We stayed at the Hotel Chateau Frontenac, a walking distance to the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, where the start and finish point of the race, and in the vicinity of the many beautiful landmarks. Marathon Tour guides were most knowledgeable and helpful in getting better registration, a reception, a city tour, and pre-race dinner and more. This was a great way to meet other runners, friends from US and talked about running, race and the City. The trip was great, thanks to Marathon Tours. My experience was vastly improved from last time in Paris. I was able to get by with English in the city, a pleasant surprise. The Parisian people were very friendly. Walking tour with friend CS to the landmarks and race start/finish area was very reassuring and enjoyable. Weather was spring-like, perfect for touring the City of Light, Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, The Place de le Concorde, the Tour Eiffel, the Musée du Louvre and more. The EXPO was very large with many vendors. True, one need the Health Certificate to get the Race number, like in Rome Marathon, they were very firm about this requirement. I was not surprised Paris required this. The EXPO was very similar to the large races in US and signs were almost all in French. Interestingly, when I asked question in English, the sales lady replied in perfect English. I was able to make the purchase with cleared discount promotions. Paris race entry without lottery or qualification was very attractive. It came with staggered early birds discount incentives. Registration was open till March of the same year. No wonder, it drew 55,000+ entrants in 2018. The start was on Champs-Élysées, corralled and in wave start. So, it was not too crowded during the race. But there was not enough Pot-a-potties to accommodate the crowd and many runners seen to cut-in line and some even did it in the corral. The temperature on the race day went over 70F, was hot. Even though there were no sport drink or energy gels, there were plenty aid stations with water, orange and banana sections. Due to the heat and crowd, water consumption was very high. There were WET long stretches on the race surface covered with orange sections, and banana peels. They got rather slippery for good total distance. The race surface was mixtures of cobblestone, cement, bricks of different types and sizes and some asphalt. Because of the recent TBIs, I paid special attention to the surface so as not to trip or fall. All distance markers were in both Km and Mile, to me, a new for European marathons. At mile 5 where my late friend DG tripped in 2014 was an interesting landmark of a Fountain surrounded by 5 Lion statues that looked like spitting water made of clear fiberglass tubing - A fantastic tour attraction and runners' distraction. As the race provided plenty aid stations for the big crowd, therefore, wet surface with orange/banana peels were extensive. That's where I resolved to walking for safety and often. Crowd support was good all through out on a nice sunny day. There were music bands, drum bands and an unusual noise maker, the fire truck Siren! When first heard, I thought it was ambulance passing through. Eventually, seeing the firetruck on location and the sound, one realized what it was. It definitely was a noise-maker that needed conditioning to appreciate it. Most unusual! Throughout the race, we passed many famous landmarks that were tourist attractions in this most artful, attractive city. This is a great city both for tour and Marathon. Paris marathon was a well-managed race without the lottery or qualification requirement, in the most beautiful city in the world. I went in the company of fun group of Marathon Tours. Fantastic experience! Paris is a marathon I would strongly recommend to any marathon travelers.

It is pretty hard to have a less than stellar race in a city like Paris. In my opinion, the course was beautiful. The course passes through many of the city's iconic sites. I have read some comments that the course was boring. Are you kidding? We saw the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Place de la Bastille, the Seine, the Eiffel Tower, etc...what more do you want? Besides, when I'm running a marathon, I'm usually so tired I don't notice much, anyway. I can't blame the marathon for that. Regarding the logistics, I stayed near the Arc de Triomphe which made the start and finish super easy. Packet pick-up was a breeze; just keep in mind the health certificate that is needed. They aren't joking - get it signed and stamped by your doctor or you aren't running. My doctor was confused by the need of the stamp, but she found one and it worked fine. The expo was pretty large and had plenty of vendors. As for fluids and nutrition, as others have stated, there was no sports drink or gel offered. I carry my own gels as I believe that is a personal responsibility. However, I was surprised at the lack of sports drinks. This was my 13th marathon and I've never had to deal with that before. They offer water; however, they come in plastic bottles which was also a first. Every water stop had huge drums with a a backstop for tossing your water bottle in, like a basketball hoop. It was ok, until I saw one goofball forcefully throw an empty bottle in the direction of the drum from 20 feet away. He hit a poor lady in the face with it. Not cool, dude. Overall, I have no real complaints about this race. Each marathon has its own little quirks and differences. No sense complaining about it. Read up on what to expect so there are no surprises. I would recommend this race to all runners. It's a bucket list race and one I personally believe will become a major one day.

REVIEW FOR THE SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC MARATHON DE PARIS 2017 Ah Paris, the city of love! Need I say more to calm my angst about the numerous terrorist attacks upon a city that have brought so much joy & everlasting memories to the 32.3 million visitors every year. 2017 will be my third trip to Paris, my first for the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris. My anthem: 'I am attending the Paris Marathon not to prove that I am brave, but to show solidarity that I am a true Parisian.' I flew into Paris Friday morning, and was able to attend both the Friday & Saturday Expo. Le Salon du Running is one of the largest exposition show that I have been to, comparable to Chicago, perhaps larger. Hundreds of stations from top global companies plus the newly hype ones market their running shoes, gears & gadgets to supplements, etc... with an entire section dedicated to answer all your questions & concerns regarding the numerous marathons available across Europe and abroad, from running around Florence & Venice to climbing up a Swiss Alps trail. I chatted with a friendly representative from the Athens Marathon whom convinced me, without hesitation, to make Athens a destination for my marathon quest. April 9, 2017, or race day Sunday weather forecast to be sunny, light breeze, with an 8:00AM start temp of 50F, rising to an afternoon high of 75F. Just perfect! Sunday morning uneventful. I'd stayed at Hôtel Atala Champs-Elysées, a 3 minutes walk from my start corral. I noticed not many police officers in uniform. Avenue des Champs-Élysées has a nice gradual descend as you start running and its cobblestones street doesn't take long to get used to. In fact, the entire course feels like you are running downhill with an occasional gentle uphill slope. The crowds support were fantastic! There were concern that due to recent terrorist attacks, Parisian would be too afraid and likely stay indoor. Not the case, they come in droves shouting, cheering us on, with marching bands, cheerleaders, rock bands, djs, etc..! Thousands upon thousands of spectators from all over the world gathered along the course waving their country flags jumping in excitement! I have no idea what they were all saying, but they made me feel so wanted, and that helps a great deal. I divided the 26.2 marathon course into eights - 8 miles, 16 miles, 24 miles or 13km, 26km & 39km - and winged it for the last 2.2 miles into the Finish line. Once again jet leg and fatigue hit me like a brick wall after mile 20. There's also a 9hrs difference between Paris and Sacramento, and I couldn't sleep a wink the night before. 2017 received 57,000 registered runners to the sold out event - not including tour package & charity runners - with 42,456 finishers. Needless to say I am pleased with my result 04:20:05, with the French police ever vigilance, and would run Paris again in a heartbeat! Eric Orton and The Cool Impossible I met Eric Orton after his talk at Salon Du Running - Friday Expo for the 2017 Paris Marathon. Eric is author of The Cool Impossible: Running Beyond Limits and an EO Mountain Running Academy. Eric now resides in Wyoming, originally from NYC. What I'd learned from Eric is if you run nearly barefoot, you will greatly increase your strength and endurance. (Requiring less shoes cushion during future run. Is he insane?)

Such marvelous city, you run through the most beautiful places of the city. I miss gels and sport drinks, you should not run 42k just with water. Good for PR

Ran Paris 2018. It was a warm marathon but it was the warmest day we had in NW Europe during our 12 day stint so there is not much that can be done about that. The scenery along this route I imagine would be hard to beat anywhere in the world. The expo and the logistics were easy ans straightforward. I didn't even find the course overcrowded despite 50k plus racing. Other than at parts through the 2 large parks the crowd support was very solid. The price and value of the race was great and I love the non-qualifier/lottery aspect. It gives a very democratic element that other large races have long ago lost. The main gripe I have with this race is the aid stations. They are simply inadequate for such any marathon. No gels and no sports drink seems archaic these days especially on warmer marathon days when the sweat rate is high. Instead there was some raisins/bananas/oranges in the last 1/3 of the race but I frankly find these to be a poor substitute. The race officials have to up their game in this regard if they want to be regarded as a truly Class A race.

Yes, you must get a health certification from your doctor to get the bib at the expo. Never had that requirement even when I ran Boston, Berlin and Chicago. They sent out that form through email the week before and be sure have your doctor signed and had it stamped. The French are very strict on following rules and they are not afraid to turn you away. The course is very scenic, it is one of the most beautiful courses, you get to run by all these famous places and two big green parks. Spectators are very cheerful, not like Boston you can't hear yourself think. But it is very decent support from the crowds... One thing, they don't give out sport drinks or gels. I should have read the previous reviews but could have brought more gels and electrolyte pills. My husband also ran the race and he lost a lot of salt and couldn't replace with any electrolyte and almost passed out by mile 20. I didnt bring enough gels and was expecting they would give out but never did. But they do have bananas and oranges. They hand out water not in cups but in bottles. Some stations already uncapped the bottles, the first few tables didn't. Over all it was very organized, esp the expo was huge. The course is pretty flat, has few short hills but nothing to write home about. And you also pass through a dark tunnel with some creepy decoration, sounds and some art exhibit inside, very very cool. It is not as fast a course as Berlin or Chicago, but hands down the most scenic. The start line was very impressive, you are in champs elysees with the Arc behind you. It gave me goose bumps.

I traveled from Los Angeles to Paris only to run the marathon. I had a good time touring the beautiful city by running. The race started by running through Champs des Elysees. The brick road surface is not idea for running, but I enjoyed running in the center of that famous street. I thank the organizer and the city of Paris for the safe event, considering the incidents around France recently, and especially an incident on the Champs des Elysees a week after Marathon. The entire event was well organized in general. Although it was expensive 7 euro for a small cup of beer at the end, I was still glad it was there to allow me drinking beer in the middle of the street in front of Arc de Triumph. Except in the parks and in the tunnel, there were plenty of spectators to cheer the runners. I like the bottle water, which allows me to carry the water for a long distance. The banana and other food are very helpful, which compensated the lack of sports drink issue. The garbage collection barrels were well arranged for fun and for keeping the city clean. The requirement of providing a health certification at the expo is an unreasonable special to this race. I have never had this requirement before. I told them that I can provide them a proof of running 7 full marathons last year. The staff still insisted me to get a doctor's certification.

I ran the Paris marathon with the sole purpose of wanting to do a 'big' race. I know that London, New York and Tokyo are the marathons with the world's largest number of participants and Paris is not far behind, with the added benefit of not having to go through a lottery to participate. It was everything as I expected, so I was not disappointed/surprised. The crowd was huge, I think 40 thousand people participated. Despite this, I felt that I could run at my own pace, because the streets of Paris are wide and everyone could fit in. Lots of people cheering, the sights were great, we ran next to many historic buildings. I found it odd that they didn't have signs saying 'on your right is the Louvre', 'on your left you can see the Notre Dame'... they only did that for the Eiffel Tower. I would've preferred more of those signs, since I saw a bunch of beautiful buildings and was wondering what they were. One negative thing, and this isn't necessarily limited to this marathon only. Usually during every marathon, as I get near the finish line, some people get sick and you hear the ambulance car pass by... I think this is normal. In Paris, since there were SO MANY people running, there was a car passing by every minute. Hearing the sirens so often became depressing and at the 38th km I started to feel worried for my own health so I slowed down and walked for a few minutes. I don't think there was anything wrong with me, I just felt some atmosphere of fear. Like I said, maybe this is normal on all large marathons. After the race, I sat down under a tree in a nearby park and rested for an hour.

Okay course, good crowd support, but no sports drink except at one spot. I've run over 80 marathons and have never seen that before. My biggest problem was the organization's complete disregard and apathetic approach to my unfortunate experience of having my bib stolen after the expo was closed on Saturday. I know - technically my fault for not securing it better and technically they don't have to do anything - but given the circumstances and the fact that I paid over $1,000 in travel expenses to run their race, you'd think someone would be willing to do SOMETHING if I show ID and proof of registration. Wrong! I was treated like some random guy who was trying to bandit the race and coming up with a story to be allowed in. I started by contacting the race organizers that night to see what I should do. No response. Understandable considering it was late. On race morning I go to the start area two hours early thinking I could explain my situation, showing my ID and proof of registration on my phone. I speak to no fewer than five different people, each of whom tells me there's nothing they can do, and upon my insistence on speaking with someone 'in charge,' each one sends me to someone else. Finally at the race headquarters I am told to just run without a bib, but I'm not allowed in the start corrals so I start on the sidewalk next to the start line. I had to then run carrying the bag I had planned to check, because without a race number and with nobody helping me, I couldn't check the bag, and with all the time spent being sent to different people I had no time to return to my hotel. I ran the race, not really enjoying it because at any moment an official can pull me from the course for not having a bib. I got through it, and right before the finish I am stopped by a race official asking where my bib is, so I had to stop and take out my phone and ID to show him, and he reluctantly lets me cross the finish and get my medal. I had run the entire course, with digital proof from my Garmin watch and with video coverage everywhere. I figured that after the race day craziness was over the organizers would be able to take the time to evaluate the situation and at least list me as an official finisher. My time was mediocre, didn't even care if it was listed correctly, just asked them to have me as an official finisher so I can get credit for Marathon Globetrotters. I emailed them with this request, including the Garmin Connect data and a description of what I was wearing so they could find me on the video at the specific time I told them. So much for that idea. After a three-paragraph long explanation of my situation, I get literally a ONE SENTENCE email back saying that 'since you didn't have a bib and didn't cross the start line, you aren't a finisher.' Of course, technically, they did not HAVE to do anything, but this kind of treatment is not what I'm used to in the running community. This has not happened to me before so I can't say for sure how other races would handle it, but it certainly made me never want to run Paris again.

It was such a wonderful experience to run my 1st marathon in Paris, my beloved city and the city of my students year which I spent the most happiest parts of my life. I was also happy to run this marathon with my partner (wife) who was my biggest supporter together with my daughter! Back to the marathon itself I can't say much but it was really enjoyable still the heat was a bit high. Besides the amazing entertainment and funny fanfares and other worldwide music bands, I have to notice two observations : first of all, there was not enough sporting drinks all over the various nutrition stations. I also noticed that the floor nearby the nutrition stations was sticky and would suggest to be washed by water frequently. The crossing of the finishing line was great and it was a great sensation which is worth the comeback for the next years.

I read an earlier commenter's disappointment in the view and thought she was wrong since Paris is my favorite city to visit but now I know what she meant. With the exception of the start at the Champs des Elysees, you take the less scenic back roads or are down along the Seine so you don't get to see the beautiful sights of Paris. It was actually disappointing to run in the most beautiful city in the world and not see anything. This year, it got up to 75 degrees and the runners had to step to the side to let the ambulances by for all the people collapsing from heat and dehydration (I counted 6). The first casualty was a man at 3km getting chest compressions after getting a heart attack in the already warm heat. But my biggest complaint was a sports drink being offered only once on the whole course. Water bottles were about every 5-7km but no electrolytes so I ended up suffering from leg cramps from mile 18 onward. This made it a really miserable route in the end slowing my time by 30 min compared to what I normally do. I won't do this again. The crowds are much bigger in Tokyo and the other majors (I know Paris is not a major).

The course is advertised as the most beautiful in the world and I guess I had different expectations. You only run in the city for a small bit upfront and you dont even pass (or at least you cant tell you pass them) the historic places. The only thing you did see was the Eiffel tower and that too was off in the distance. There was a quite a bit of running through two parks which was horrible. And thats all I remember are those boring parks! Coming out of winter, everything was dead. Trees were bare, the grass area was dead and brown. Not pretty at all. I couldn't wait to get back in the city. Then theres another park towards the end, boring! I was hoping it would be more like a Chicago or NYC marathon where you are in the city the entire time. The crowds were great though and they were so excited at one point they were encroaching on the runners, where we could only get 3 across on a normal size road. There weren't barricades the whole course where the people stood behind in crowded areas. It was odd to me as you dont see that in the USA. But I took it as they were really excited. People mentioned lack of port-o-potties. In the corrals there were quite a bit of port-o-potties and especially when the corrals left ahead of you, there were even more. I saw no issues there and never waited in the corrals to use one. But on the course, there were almost none and even in the parks there are no trees (they are all without foliage) to use for privacy. In the city, there are no alleys to hide in. It was a quite a challenge especially when I had tummy issues. I actually ran into a café and used their toillette. Water stops are different then US marathons but that was ok. They are every 5k. I planned for it and wore my fuel belt and it worked out fine. Being that it was warm I actually was glad I had my belt with extra fluids. It was a warm day for the marathon this year and they had fire hoses throughout the course which was wonderful. If you aren't used to other sports drinks or gels, bring your own. I was out of my sports drink and tried what they had and spit it out it was very odd. My favorite part was the long tunnel (I forgot the name). I had read many reviews saying one year it was dark, last year they had a DJ and it was like a disco. So I expected the disco/DJ  I was in for a surprise! About every 30ft there were giant huge HD monitors that peaceful/relaxing pictures (beach, ocean, stuff like that) and they were playing the most relaxing music ever. The tunnel fans were on and it was such a nice break to be in the cool shade with the music and relaxing pics. I loved that it was different and it couldn't have come at a better time. It was such a nice touch! Oh one more really cool part  there were bands everywhere on this course. I was very impressed and the last mile or so was so cool. They had drum bands every hundred feet or so. So as you are running in all you hear are the loud beating of drums. Very cool. Overall, it was an ok marathon. Paris the city was absolutely amazing but this was not my favorite marathon. But it was extremely organized, the spectators were really involved (almost too involved!).

First, let me say that the 2016 Paris Marathon was not my best marathon. My goal pre-race was to BQ (3h 37m) and thats what the pace band on my wrist spelled out. Although I was within one minute of my target time at the 1/2 marathon mark, by mile 15 Id come to grips that a BQ was not in the cards and my new goal was to finish in less than 4 hours and not embarrass myself. By mile 21, my new, new goal was to finish before I collapsed into a quivering blob of protoplasm on the side of the road. My point is that this race report might be slightly biased.

The course was outstanding as were the spectators. Paris has come a long way since I first ran it in year 2000. One thing that has not changed and the main reason i gave it a 3 star rating: NO TOILETS, or too few. That is really a MAJOR PROBLEM, which could easily be fixed. The few toilets i did find along the course were LOCKED! Also, giving bottles of water at all drinking stations is not environmentally friendly. Gatorade or other electrolyte drinks would also be appreciated. There were none.

I may not be the best to judge this race. I ran with a fever and an upper respiratory infection. My biggest complaint was the bathroom situation. Coming from the states, I am spoiled by more (and cleaner) port-a-potties. I was 10K in before I found some, and they were locked!! By the time I found an open one, it was beyond awful. I was so sick, luckily I brought my own toilet tissue. The spectators were amazing. I think I enjoy the much smaller marathons.

This is the 5th marathon I've done and the best to date. The reviews online are pretty bad and I was afraid of running in marathon with 40k people, but at the end it was great. The staggering at the start was no problem. Only issue was with lack of toilets, but that is a given. The routes were absolutely lovely with tons of support from locals; the support from the Paris firemen were great. Sure, it is not jam packed with people cheering the whole way, but it was MORE than enough with the spectators and supporters. Water stops were great; every other stop was a bottle of water in a reasonable size to carry along the way. Would not hesitate to do this again!

What else do you want than running in one of the most beautiful cities in the world? I don't agree with earlier comments saying that the organization is not so good. In fact it is really good even for a 40000+ participants race. There are quite some spectators (all of them really supportive) but not as much as other races I did (Rotterdam, Koln). The course is fantastic despite some less interesting parts like the Tuileries tunnels and the last part going through the park. Passing the Eifel tower is a blast. The course is not really flat. The finisher medal and t-shirt were great. Unfortunately, I had a cold but still managed to run a PB by more then 6 minutes (3.06 hour). Next time hopefully below 3 hours.

This is my 2nd Paris marathon. It's big, 54,000 signed up this year. Starts in corrals based on aspirational finish times. The start is in waves taking well over an hour. It was hot this year, water stops every 5k, water bottles and orange/banana slices every stop. Only one stop had sport beverages The course is good you see some iconic sites. As opposed to some races, you don't actually run right in the sites (like not inside the Louvre entrance courtyard, and not around the base of the Eiffel Tower) you do see these sites as you run by through, the race for the most part is on larger streets and on the lower level road next to the Seine River. The expo was world class, the organization was great. Crowd support still not massive like New York or Chicago All-in-all a fine race and it's well worth the trip

Course: It's hard to complain when you start on the Champs Elysees, run by the Louvre, Bastille, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and finish near the Arc de Triomphe. Great course overall, although narrow and crowded in parts, and some cobblestones which makes for tough running. In some parts, the spectators encroach onto the road creating a bottleneck that you have to run through (like you see at the Tour de France) - kind of fun. Organization: generally excellent. Lots of information provided, good expo easily reached via public transport, race day organization very smooth, bag drop and pickup easy, start/end area easily reached by public transport as well. The start was relatively smooth given the size of the field (50,000 people), with the seeding system working quite well. My main complaint was the aid stations on course - I only saw one sports drink station at about 30km, which was surprising as it was a very warm day. Stations were on one side of the road only which was inadequate given the crowds, and were spaced 5km apart, which again is not enough for a warm day (in the NYC marathon for example aid stations are every 1-2 miles). Spectators: Lots of support and good crowds. Overall: A fun race. Perhaps not the best race to do a PB given the crowds, narrow course, and aid station issues. However, a great big city race.

I've posted twice before about the 2003 and 2009 Paris Marathons. Both times I complained about the lack of port-a-potties, the disorganization at the start and on the course, the backups at the Bastille and at the finish. I just ran my fourth Paris and, well, pretty much all of these issues have been solved. The runners used to start all at once. Now they space out waves every few minutes which seems to have eliminated the backups along the course, particularly at the Bastille. Now they have port-a-potties everywhere. The only backup that continues is at the finish line but at least the backup did not bubble out past the finish line mat as it did in one previous race. And more diverse food choices at the finish other than oranges and bananas would be great. But the race is definitely getting better.

I loved this race. I thought that the organization was incredible, the fans were great, everything was great. That said, it is a HUGE race with 50,000+ runners and crowds that creep in on the racers as they go by (think of the Tour de France when the crowds move in on the bikers) which creates a very narrow bottle neck at points and slows racers to an almost walking pace. Also, I really didn't like running through the underground tunnels. It was hot and my GPS lost it's signal. Sure the walk out is a bit long and chaotic, but you're in Paris. Just figure out a meeting point with your people the day before. Despite all of that I PB'd by 14 minutes, bobbing and weaving through the crowd.

I ran the Paris Marathon at the end of a ten-day vacation in France. It felt good to move after all that delicious bread, cheese, and wine! I stayed at the Hotel Elysees Bassano, which was a five-minute walk from my starting corral, reasonably priced, and very nice. I have no complaints at all about the course or the organization. Water was plentiful (great during the warm, humid first couple hours of the race) and the fans were energetic. Lots of bands lined the course, although more than half of them were more along the lines of inept drum circles. My favorite part of the course was actually the underground tunnel, which they outfitted with club lights and disco music. I may have hallucinated a bit. So much fun!

This race greatly exceeded my expectations on most fronts. The course itself is beautiful and very flat. The use of water bottles instead of cups at stations was great. Crowds were excellent as were bands and entertainment. Organization was good, but a good bit of a walk to get to starting corrals. Medal and shirts were nice too. Expo was fine, but quite remote from the center of the city.

Paris Marathon with more than 50000 runners were nicely organized. Every 5km, they provided water bottle, orange and banana. Powerrade was in one place only; it did not bother me though. Too many good things to say. Now some observations for future improvement; (1) provide quality food at the finish line, (2) better direction at finish line for family/friends reunion. I also did not like long run through dark tunnel.

I loved the scenic course! Could not stop taking selfies and pictures along the route. Even with taking about 100 pictures during the race, I managed to PR by 11 minutes. The expo, the start area, the finish was very well organized and very easy to get to and meet your friends afterwards. I ran Philly, New York and Marine Corps, this was by far the best race. The race exceeded all of my expectations. I highly recommend it and would run it every year if I could.

Due to an injury my time exceeded the official cut off time and I ran without water, sports drink, traffic control, fruit, gels, and at times was unsure of the directions, save the discarded water bottles,etc. running on the sidewalk is one thing but running down major roads, through a long tunnel without a sidewalk. The famous blue line was eradicated at many of the larger intersections. DO YOU GET THE IDEA? The bottom line: don't run if your anticipated time far exceeds the official cutoff time. There are too many good marathons that treat slower runners with respect. Incidentally, that was my 39th marathon and I finished.

This is a great marathon a lot of ways; epic sights, wide, flat roads, supportive crowds and knowledgable support crew. The only downside for me was the poor organisation in the starting pens and finishing area. As is the norm runners are arranged in pens according to predicted pace; no issue with that. However there were lanes where runners in slower paced pens were shepherded around and therefore in front of faster runners in the more congested area leading to inevitable bottlenecks and stop/starts. I wasn't personally affected by this but others traveling with me were. The organisation at the end was quite strange too; after finishing, runners had to walk a long way around fencing where the clearly marked gates with letters indicating where to meet friends and loved ones had been locked....all along the finishing area! Every one! At one point security personnel came to unlock one gate which became crowded with people trying to, correctly, reach loved ones at the designated meeting point. The personnel unlocked the gate for 30secs, re-locked it then walked away to shouts, and boos from the runners! Truly terrible organisation. Despite these small issue I'd highly recommend this as an event. Starting the race on the Champs Elysse is an incredible experience and one well worth dealing with the poor points for. A word of advice however; leave for the start in plenty of time. The Metro stations close to the start become incredibly congested as 40,000 runners plus spectators make their way to the start. At the race finish it was fairly hectic trying to get back to the hotel however Paris is like that ordinarily. Give it a try; you won't regret it.

There is a misperception that the race is poorly organized - nothing can be further from the truth. This is one of the best organized races: website and newsletters and emails supply runners with very detailed information. Navigating the marathon is extremely simple and easy with very efficient organization. Pre-race info: frequent email updates and information with detailed start and finish area maps. Bib pickup: there is a metro stop right at the Expo which is by far the best expo I have ever attended. Starting line: It took about 5- 10 minutes from leaving my hotel to being in my starting corral. No other big city marathon can match this: no lines, no bureaucratic interference: other major races can learn a lot from the French! Multiple wave start that makes the start along the Champs-Elysee a breeze. Course: very flat for the most part. Cobbles never really an issue until towards the end when you enter the park (Bois de Boulogne). Unfortunately sports drink only provided once during the race. There is plenty of water and sugar and occasionally raisins, and if you're so inclined you can have some chocolate and Champagne along the route! Finish area: There is free massage and even foot care as well as plenty of food, sports drinks and even BBQ. This area can be a bit congested. Many runners walk back to their hotels and can be seen on the Metro and walking along the Champs-Elysee. I would run this marathon every year if I could. It is a very fast marathon, perfectly organized in a great destination city! Nothing like Spring in Paris!

I ran this in 2012 and I´m pleased to say things have improved, not perfect, but getting there. Packet pick up was easy enough, even though the women who checked my medical certificate couldn´t speak a word of English (some do, some don´t) and couldn't understand my name even when I showed her my passport (got confused with surname and name) The expo is huge, as big as a World Major marathon. The start has been improved. Corrals are split in two, left and right. One half leaves, then 30 seconds later the other half leaves. This is perfect if you´re up near the front, say a 3.00-3.30 runner, but not so good if you´re a 5 hour runner as you´re in for a long wait. The crowd support was more animated this year, but there are still thousands that just stand and watch motionless instead of cheering you on. Unless you´re a 3 hour runner or faster you will find the course congested in some parts as you run from 3 or 4 lane streets to 2 lane streets. After around the 30K mark it becomes much less dense. There is still no energy drink or gels handed out. There is one Powerade station randomly placed, last year at the 33K mark, this year 22K. Which is still unbelievable for the world´s second largest marathon. Fingers crossed this changes. Like most races in continental Europe aid stations are every 5K, they are big stations, but nearly always lined up on one side of the road so they do get congested easily, and can be dangerous as people discard banana skins on the ground. This year there were members of the public on bicycles on the course which is just not acceptable for an IAAF Gold Label marathon. A major accident could very easily happen as the cyclists have to go much slower than normal to be with the runners they become unstable and nervous. Unfortunately I was involved in a minor accident at the 40K aid station where the packs thins out and a female cyclist mixed with the runners and became nervous as she approached the aid station, she couldn´t get out of the way as the runners were approaching the tables and panicked, lost her balance and I ran into her, the pair of us crashing into the aid station. I was furious obviously, thankfully I wasn´t trying to get a certain time, like a BQ but still wanted a PR, I did get a PR, but naturally l lost time because of her. The finish line was well organised and there are now exits to leave the area quicker if you don´t have to pick up a bag. Weather this year was perfect, cold but a rare Parisian cloudless day. 3C at the start and a high around 10C. I would like to do this again next year. The course is fast and flat and has PR potential if you can manage the aid stations without energy drinks and avoid the cyclists.

Went to the expo on Friday - absolutely no line to pick up number. Course was beautiful, flat and fast. There were spectators to varying degree along almost the entire course which was very nice as I broke my arm 3 weeks before the race and had to run with a cast. The crowd was very supportive when I was struggling - always an encouraging 'Allez! Allez!' Finish area well organized with several exits. Toilets in the starting corrals is a good idea but there weren't nearly enough - my only complaint. I would love to do it again.

I went to the expo on the first day. There were very few people. Almost nothing in the goody bag. The start wasn't as chaotic as I had expected. Not enough potties at the start. With 50000 people running together, I expected everywhere very crowded during the whole race. Fortunately, it's a lot better that I had thought. The official starting time was 8:45 but the whole crowd didn't start altogether. They were grouped according to your time. A group could only start running when the previously group had all gone. The good thing is that there aren't really many many people on the way, but then you have to wait more than one hour if you belong to the last group. You can be chilled to death on cold weather waiting so long. The course is quite good, but not as beautiful as expected. There are constant ups and downs, but for short distance. What is quite unbelievable is that energy drink is only provided once throughout the race. No gel is provided. Bottled water of 33cl is provided, which I think is a waste. You've got water and food(oranges, bananas, raisins and sugar are provided) stations every 5 km. Upon finish, you get a T-shirt. The quality is really good. The medal and certificate are also very beautiful. I think the medal is the best part of this race.

Cons Not enough toilets at start. Only 2 in the huge sub-3.45 pen! Women having to urinate on the street! Toilets not marked on map and not signed on route Spectators allowed on the track (even on the blue line!!). Some crossed the track through a dense stream of runners only 1.5 miles from the start. Too much shoving and pushing due to poor layout of drink/food stations (2 female friends pushed to ground during race) and narrowness of track when spectators pushed in. Tops of water bottles dangerously littered track at water stations: trip/slip risk Fruit peel (including banana!) on track at/near food stations: slowed to avoid slipping Very long wait in cold before start Far too many runners on what became at times a very narrow track. Requirement for a medical certificate (my GP charged £20) Had to go to finish to drop off bag and then walk to start Pros Scenic Well-organised expo and bib collection Good value rice party at expo Many water/food stations along the route

Only complaint, which was predictable, was with so many runners the pack never really spread out and i was constantly cutting around people. At times the course narrowed and caused mini traffic jams. But beautiful course and great organization. Mostly flat and fast, and always something great to look at. Good crowd support. Only my second 'mega marathon' (30,000+) and i was a little nervous about the crowds and organization but it was all good. Would race again.