The Paris Olympic Marathon will break some athletes before the 32-kilometre (20-mile) wall, especially if the temperatures are warm.
The course starts with a gently rolling 15km stretch through the heart of the City of Light, passing several iconic landmarks. Then, at 15km begins a 3km climb, followed by a short reprieve, then a steep climb at 13 per cent grade to the halfway mark of the course at nearly 21km.
A 6km drop will put the runners back to rhythm more standard for marathon racing. At approximately 28km, another steep climb happens. For athletes who haven’t trained for big hills with fatigue accumulating in the legs or are racing above their ability, may hit the proverbial wall very hard at 29km. This may well be where a number of athletes drop out.
On the positive side, for those who are still racing within themselves, a long, steep downhill takes place from the 30km to 31km mark. More may drop out here due to the breaking — with cramping quads. Over the final 9 to 10kms, the field should be well spread out with the fittest men running 3:00-3:10/km and the fittest women plus or minus 3:20/km. During this period, it will be about hoping that cramping does not begin to set in (more than typical).
The Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan will feel the 1500m rounds, 5000m rounds and the 10,000m race at the 30km mark — she is entered in all four events. If she is still in the race at 32km, Hassan will need to run only as fast as she needs to stay in a medal hunt to avoid cramping. It will be a tall task for the London and Chicago marathon winner. She is used to racing multi-events and is a two-time Olympic champion. But her schedule and this marathon route are unprecedented.
The course will gain 438m and descends nearly as much, 436m to the finish.
For the men, the best tactic to usurp Eliud Kipchoge’s bid for a third consecutive Olympic Marathon gold medal in the event will be to bury him hard on the hills — that is, if anyone has the ability. Look for the Ethiopians to potentially work together to pull Kipchoge out of his comfort zone. Kipchoge has proven to be a 2:01 marathon runner on the flat and in time trials, but when conditions have been adverse, it has not worked out well for the former world record holder from Kenya. Mind, he does better in warm weather than cold.
For spectators, the race will be more interesting than many of the more common flat courses. Some unfamiliar faces of the approximate 80 men and 80 women may show up ready to challenge for a medal.
While forecasting weather this far out is a crapshoot, the long-range prognosis is for highs of 30C (86F) and lows of 14C (57F). The 10-year average in August is 16C for a low and 26C for a high. The record high is 39.5C.
The historic event recognized with the Olympic marathon route is a key moment from the French Revolution: the Women’s March on Versailles, on 5 October 1789.
On 5 and 6 October 1789, market women, shopkeepers and workers from the popular quarters gathered in front of the Hôtel de Ville in Paris to demand bread and arms. Between 6,000 and 7,000 Parisian women, joined by men, marched through Paris to Versailles to bring the King back to the Tuileries. That day, Louis XVI finally agreed to ratify the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens.
“The Paris 2024 Olympic Marathon will be a festive and remarkable moment in history,” said Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo. “From the City Hall to Versailles, runners will be celebrated and cheered as they follow in the footsteps of the women who set out on October 5, 1789, to express their anger to the King.”
The races go on Saturday and Sunday, August 10 and 11th.
