Paris Half

Racing it

1. 01

   Flat, Even Effort

   The course is flat with only 80 m of total climb, so run it at a steady effort from the gun instead of banking energy for a climb that never really comes.

   From the elevation profile

2. 02

   Cool 09:30 Start

   Race-day temperature is typically 9C at a 09:30 start, so dress for a cold wait in the corral and a cool run rather than a warm one.

   From the start time

3. 03

   Loop Course, One Base

   This is a loop, so you start and finish in the same place near the Bois de Vincennes. Leave your bag and arrange your meeting point there instead of planning a trip across town afterward.

   From the layout

4. 04

   Settle Before the Seine

   More than 40,000 runners share the course, so expect a crowded opening kilometer in the Bois de Vincennes and use the park roads to find your rhythm before the riverside stretch past Notre-Dame.

   From the description

5. 05

   Ballot Planning

   Entry is by ballot, so put your name in as soon as the window opens and treat the early-March Sunday as fixed once you are in.

   From the entry

In Paris

• Métro on Race Morning

  The Métro is the simplest way to reach the Bois de Vincennes area, but expect road closures near the course and allow extra time for crowded trains.

• Watching Along the River

  The Seine quays and the bridges between the islands give spectators several viewpoints within a short walk, so you can see runners more than once.

• Walking It Off

  Early March in Paris is cool and often gray, and a slow walk through the Bois de Vincennes or along the river eases stiff legs better than sitting still.