The Race - Allez!

So you have seen my finishing time - probably not as fast as I'd hoped but what an awesome day I had! In case you don't want to read the blow by blow description below let me sum up by saying that the experience of running the streets of Paris with > 30,000 others is one that I'll never forget.

The morning of
I woke up and felt the nervous energy as we made our way through the Paris metro to Avenue Charles de Gaulle. It was a very fresh 4 deg and many people were wearing the plastic bag poncho provided at the expo that were to become quite a hazard as they were ripped off at the start line. It was a unique experience to see the arc roundabout free of cars and we delighted in running across the road to the Arc.

Having completed the first of my porta loo experiences for the day (none of them pleasant!) I said goodbye to Ash and Bren and joined other starters within the designated barricades. It was surreal to only hear French being spoken around me and to turn around and see the Arc glowing in the sunlight as we all huddled in the shade at the start line. I was really in Paris!

The Start
The announcer was occasionally giving instructions in English but I never heard a start gun go. Everyone was inching forward in the pack and I was thinking we were just getting excited and closing the gaps before I realised it was all go go go! I had to be careful not to trip on any of the plastic and bottles being discarded but before I knew it I was running across the start line and down the Champs Elysee.

At 1.5k

As I run through Place de la Concorde onto Rue di Rivoli I see my support team and get so excited I literally trip over a runner in front of me - pardon!!

My Support Crew - best (and loudest) on the route!
Ash - Team cook and photographer (amazing job!) and sometime masseuse
Bren - Team Masseuse and Support Crew Tour Guide
Mum, Sue and Lyn - Cheering squad, flag bearers and suppliers of chocolate

They did their own amazing race using the metro to catch me at 4 different places along the way. I really looked forward to seeing them, and it got me through the second half of the race.

The First Half

I ran the first half well, feeling good and keeping pace with the general group. Conditions were perfect and the sights of Paris were showing off along the way.

At one point I had a guy run beside me with a large video camera a few inches from my face chatting in French, I was like, “Pale vous Anglais? I don’t speak French” and he quickly adjusted to “Are you having a good day?” My response “A great day – thanks”. I was clearly feeling good at that point! Maybe I made tv??

There were crowds gathered around the whole 42k route along with bands, drummers or dancers every few k. They were very vocal and the atmosphere kept me going. We all had our first names printed on our bibs and it wasn’t uncommon to hear “Allez Tracy” in French accents which always made me smile. One elderly woman I remember clearly was on a corner rugged up and clapping her hands constantly just saying “Bravo, bravo”. At some points they were coming onto the roads and narrowing the route in their excitement which made the runners come together to get through.


The Second Half
I started to hurt around 28k. This was earlier than expected and still seemed a long way to the finish. I slowed for some oranges and also had to queue for a (very gross) toilet stop and getting started again was a challenge. This was as the Eiffel Tower came into view and mentally I just was thinking, Trace enjoy this, it is a one time experience.

What I didn’t factor in was that by dropping back with the stragglers there were a lot of walkers and this made it even harder to remain focused on running. It was much like the back of the City to Surf, there were people everywhere and often you had to swerve to get around. I had a few elbows to my arms and chest along the way but think I gave them out too!

I was looking forward to seeing the Aussie flags at 34k and kept telling myself, get through 30-35 and then you’re nearly home. When I did see my team, their cheering really spurred me on, as did the Aussie Mars Bar that my Mum had brought for me J I knew at this point that beating last year’s time was almost out of reach but that I definitely wanted to finish in less than 5 hours and this was a possibility. I didn’t come to Paris to walk!




A Strong Finish
The last 2k was not what I expected, we were still running in some woods, not suburbia and I couldn’t see the finish line, or Arc de Triomphe as we approached. There were clear measurement markers so I knew I was close and it turned out the last stretch was uphill and around a few curves, the final straight only 100m to the finish line.

I must have had an adrenaline surge with 400m to go because after hearing someone in the crowd say “its just around the corner” (they were lying…) I felt like I was flying past the other competitors – my legs took off!. As I rounded a bend I saw my support team for the final time and ran past collecting an Aussie flag on the way and sprinted (if you can call it that!) to the finish line.

I did it!

While exhausted – I felt elated, you couldn't wipe the smile off my face although the legs had started to ache!

Its Over..... A Triomphe!