Marne et Gondoire Marathon is one of those marathons that should be experienced. I took part last year on a last minute decision... I had been booked to coach on a workshop in London and I therefore had decided that running a marathon on the outskirts of Paris the next day was not a good idea. However, liking a challenge, I finished the workshop, drove to the coast, crossed on Eurotunnel, arrived in Paris at 0100am and then toed the line at 0900am for the 2009 Marne et Gondoire Marathon. Good idea? Mmmmm well difficult to say. As it turned out the course is really tough and we had the hottest day of the year. It was 30+ deg and I cooked. However, despite all this and an awful last few miles I managed to pull off a top 10 with a time of 3:20 ‘ish’.
This year I decided that with my Comrades plans compromised I would return to Marne and run hard. My last race was London’ at the end of April, so, after some recovery and a re-build I arrived in ‘Bussy Saint Martin’ with the prospect of a tough day ahead.
This race starts and finishes in the Parc de Rentilly approximately 10-15 minutes from Eurodisney, so, if you ever fancy a family weekend that includes a race, this is the one to choose. Organised by Michel Bach and his wife Sylvie they put on a day of activities like no other race. It is about experiences, catering for everyone and providing a whole day and night of entertainment.
Luckily the weather was perfect after two previous days of wet and stormy weather. Registration was from 0700 and the race started at 0900. The main event is the individual marathon but in addition you have relay races and a multitude of kid’s races. The course is tough. Starting and finishing in the Parc de Rentilly we ran in a clockwise direction taking in the regions of ‘ Marne’ and ‘Gondoire’. In total we run through 16 villages, each provide entertainment and compete against each other for the best ‘spectacle’. The course is a combination of parc, trails, stones, road, villages, climbing, tunnels and bridleways. In parts beautiful and in other areas quite desolate.
To run a race with the intention of trying to win provides a whole different level of pre-race stress. My form was good, 2:53 at Paris and 2:58 at London on tired legs confirmed this. In the last 4 weeks of training I had worked on speed, hills and less on endurance as I felt that I already had that in the bag.
Herve a local runner and friend of Niandi had arrived to race. He holds the course record in 2:55 so I knew that I was going to have a tough day. Having run over 3:20 last year and knowing the course I was seriously impresses with a sub 3 time.
A minute before 0900 three sets on blind runners were released on to the course with guides. One of them, Didier, is a good friend. I have mentioned him before in previous posts: he is quite an inspiration.
At 0900 we were off. It is really important to get the pace sorted at the beginning as we had relay runners starting at the same time, so, it was fair to assume that anyone who flew off at 10k pace was actually running a 10k! I watched Herve and decided that he was the guy to judge my effort on. He accelerated very early and pulled away. Not too far but in sight. I stook with an obvious group who were judging and pacing quite well. I knew at this stage I was top 10 but it wasn’t possible to know exactly. We were 6:30 milling so I was a little concerned. Had I been ‘just’ running I would have eased off. This is when it dawned on me that ‘racing’ in a marathon is a completely different ball game. I was either on the pace or off it. So, I decided to be ‘on it’.
Going through 10k in 39 min was a little shock as we had taken in some big hills, we had been off road and we had been constantly going left and right. At this stage I was running with the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed runners. I was feeling pretty good and looking at the other runners you could tell that they had more concerns about me than I had about them. They all knew each other so couldn’t understand who and where this ‘dark horse’ had come from....
One unusual aspect of this race is that the front runners are allowed ‘seconds’. These seconds help the runner while on the course. They are on bicycles and carry gels, food and bottles. No such help for me. I had 6 gels on me and I had to rely on the feed stations for liquid. No complaints on the ‘feed’ points. They were regular and very well stocked.
The morning chill had gone and the ambient temperature was hotting up, just like the race. We went through half in 1:36. The course between 10k and 20k was very tough and this reflected in the pace. Still feeling good I pushed on. I had a guy with me called Eric Michaud, I didn’t know him but he knew the course and he was a good runner. At 15 miles he attacked and I went. Suddenly Cyrille Bachelard and one runner from the ‘Torcy’ run club could no longer keep up.
As we ran to ‘Lesches’ this gave us an opportunity to view who was racing and the gaps. Herve was about 3 miutes ahead being chased by Eric and then me. I was told I was 4th place so obviously we had a runner who was way out in front... it turns out this guy ran 2:45!!! I can’t believe that time on that course.
So, the race was on. I was keeping pace but Eric was pulling away a little. Not much I could do, I was running as hard as my legs would let me. At 40k I went of course... bloody nightmare. I missed a marker on the trail and ran up a hill instead of going right. I realized relatively quickly but I had lost 1-2 mins. When back on track I knew that 3rd was no longer possible so I pushed on for 4th crossing the line in 3:01. I was over the moon with the time and the place. I could not have run any harder and I am convinced if that effort had been at London or Paris Marathon I would have PB’d. I was wrecked! When the results came it turned out that me going ‘of course’ allowed another guy to slip in front of me and thus pushing me back to 5th. He beat me by an annoying 17 seconds. Had that had been for 3rd place I would have been gutted, as it happens, 4th or 5th was no real consequence.
Niandi running two weeks after a great run at Comrades had felt good over the first 20k but said she faded over the latter stages. She came in for 84th place but importantly had 3rd lady, so, a great result.
It is important to remember that so many entrants take part in this marathon for fun. I was going to say 'just for fun' but I think we all take part just for fun. What I mean to say is for the enjoyment and not for competition. Michel and Sylvie each year create a theme. This year it was 'Tropical'.
Post race is when the 'real' fun starts.
Live bands on stage.
Entertainment.
A picnic.
Chatting and meeting with friends.
The awards.
And then everyone drinks and parties into the night.
Michel and Sylvie put on a fantastic race. A race that is a real joy, a race with no compromise; great running, great fun, great friends, great atmosphere and entertainment for all. It has the planning and a location worthy of a major event.
Think about this race for 2011, you will not be disappointed.
