Paris Marathon 2015: Route, Course Map, Times, Event Details
Runners from around the world will descend on the French capital this weekend, with the Paris marathon proving to be a major draw for competitors of all abilities.
The iconic race is one of the most popular long-distance events on the planet.
With the picturesque route providing ample inspiration, we’ve been treated to some enthralling displays from elite athletes down the years. Here’s all the crucial details needed ahead of the race and a closer look at what to expect this weekend.
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Date: Sunday, April 12
Time: 8:45 a.m. (Local), 7:45 a.m. (BST), 2:45 a.m. (ET)
Click here for a map of the marathon route.
Race Preview
As far as starts to races go, it doesn’t get much better than in Paris. The Champs-Elysees provides the backdrop to the start line, before the runners make their way past a host of iconic city landmarks—including the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower—over the 26.2 mile distance before finishing up on Avenue Foch.
Here’s a glimpse at the kinds of sights the runners can take in, courtesy of the event’s official Twitter feed.
Ethiopa’s Kenenisa Bekele broke the course record on his debut in the race last year, surging home in a time of 2:05:03. It was a remarkable effort from the legendary distance runner and a mark that looks as though it’s going to be extremely difficult to beat in 2015.
Here’s a look at the highlights from that stunning performance last time out:
Even though Bekele will not be in attendance this time around, there’s a quality field that could get within touching distance of the mark set last year. The most likely challenger will be Kenya’s Moses Mosop, who is looking back to a level approaching his best after a flurry of recent injury problems.
His personal best of 2:03:06 is one of the fastest in history and if he can get within a couple of minutes of that time, Mosop should have enough to take victory in the French capital. But as noted by iaaf.org, there are a foursome of athletes set to start in France that have run under 2:06:00 in previous races.
In the women’s race, the fastest competitor is Mulu Seboka. The Ethiopian is a veteran when it comes to the marathon distance, but despite being 31 years old, she seems to be getting better. Indeed, Seboka crossed the line first in all three of the races she entered in 2014, running an impressive personal best time of 2:23:15 in the most recent triumph.
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