Race Date: Sunday 12 April 2026

Report by Nick Watson

Paris Marathon week doubled as a family holiday and my first ever visit to the city, so the build‑up to race day was far from the usual pre‑marathon routine. We arrived on the Eurostar on Tuesday and immediately set about exploring Paris properly: climbing the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, wandering the Louvre, covering what felt like the entire grounds of Versailles, and even making a trip to Père Lachaise to visit Jim Morrison’s grave. Not exactly textbook tapering, but a brilliant way to see the city and I’ll happily call it “active tapering” to make it sound intentional.

Race morning arrived with ideal conditions: cool, bright, and calm. I made my way to the Champs‑Élysées in full Steel City kit and joined the huge field of 55,000 runners stretching back from the Arc de Triomphe. The atmosphere was everything you’d expect from Paris: loud, colourful, and full of energy. Once we were underway the early congestion soon gave way to a steady rhythm, even if the occasional bottleneck reminded you just how big this event really is especially as I’d improved a lot since registering and found myself running in a slightly slower pen than my current pace. This meant I was often moving quicker than those around me which added to the squeeze points at times.

A standout feature this year was Paris’ decision to ban single‑use plastic cups – the first time a major marathon has done this. Instead of the usual piles of cups at water stations, every runner was given a reusable cup with a finger loop, and volunteers refilled them using high‑pressure hoses. It sounded experimental on paper, but in practice it worked brilliantly: quick, efficient, and far cleaner than the traditional setup.

The course took us through the Bois de Vincennes before returning to the Seine, where the atmosphere lifted again. The tunnels were a real highlight – the acoustics were incredible, with music echoing off the walls and runners cheering as the sound bounced around. It was one of those unexpected moments that sticks with you.

Throughout the race I kept hearing “Allez Nick!” and even full‑volume “Allez Allez Allez Nick!” from different pockets of the crowd – a surreal and brilliant boost that popped up again and again. And in the final 5K, the noise was on another level entirely. The crowds were absolutely roaring, creating a wall of sound that carried you forward whether you liked it or not.

Through halfway I felt strong, 30-35km stayed controlled, and even the final stretch, where marathons usually start asking difficult questions, felt manageable. Turning back towards the Arc de Triomphe for the last push was a special moment, and I crossed the line in 3:34:47, a new PB and my best marathon performance in years. It also meant taking almost five minutes off my previous best from London 2024 (3:39:25), which made the result even sweeter.

Up at the sharp end, Yemaneberhan Crippa (Italy) won in 2:05:18 won in 2:04:56, while Shure Demise of Ethiopia took the women’s title in 2:18:35, both incredible performances on a course that’s far quicker than many give it credit for.

After collecting the medal – one photo in Striders kit, another in the finisher’s T‑shirt, both proudly earned – the post‑race routine involved a slow shuffle, a final wander with the family, and then straight onto the Eurostar home, arriving back in England at 11pm with tired legs and a medal that wasn’t coming off anytime soon.

Paris delivered everything: iconic sights, brilliant organisation, huge crowds, and an atmosphere that never dipped for a moment. It’s right up there with London and Berlin for me but far easier to get into, simple to travel to, and without the hassle of a ballot.

If you want a major marathon experience without relying on luck, Paris is a fantastic choice and I doubt it’ll be my last experience of this amazing race.