One year ago, I started running more seriously as a hobby while living in Paris. It’s quite ironic in fact, especially because I notoriously used to hate running. I decided to pick up running because the gyms here didn’t offer the same equipment, functionality, and space that I was used to in the US. The gyms were tiny, humid, packed, and more expensive! For an affordable way to workout, I decided to try out running as a hobby and a way to get energy out and exercise!
Flash forward to a year later, I’ve signed myself up for a series of three 10k’s in Paris with the Paris Master’s Circuit! Last year, I could barely run 1-2 miles without feeling like I was dying, but in March one of my friend’s dragged me to my first run club, and though I was really hesitant, I ended up loving it!
In this blog, I’ll be taking you along with me on my first ever race, completing the Champs Elysée 10k in Paris!
At a glance:
Preparing for the Race
The Week Leading Up to the 10k
The Morning of the Race : What to Expect
The Race!
Post 10k Brunch & Stroll
Post Race Thoughts
Preparing for My First 10k
Leading up to the 10k, I didn’t necessarily follow a training plan. I would normally run about twice a week, once on Saturdays with my run club, and then one other time during the week. I feel like if anything, my goal with running during the week was to train for run club since it was 7.5 kilometers while talking with friends, and this used to be tough!
This run club regularly has over 100 people every Saturday meet up for a social run to Parc Monceau, and is filled with marathon runners, Iron Man finishers, people who just want to make friends while running, those traveling through Paris for the weekend, and everyone in between. Though, everyone is pretty much an experienced runner. And when I first joined back in June, I had been running 5ks with another run club for about 3 months, but felt that was getting easy for me, and also wanted to make more French speaking friends since the other run club was mostly expats.
Since my first time every running 7-8 kilometers was with this new run club, the run was a bit tough for a while. Eventually the run got a lot easier, and I found myself running my best at run club, even while holding conversations in French! I feel like running with other people helps me stay motivated and I tend to adopt their pace.
Along with running, I tried to do yoga at least twice a week. Originally, the yoga was just a nice way to de-stress, but it turned out to be a great way for me to stretch my hips and strengthen my legs in between runs. I remember when I first moved to Paris and tried to run, it made my knees hurt for 2 weeks straight, so I had to give it up. But when I picked running back up a few months later, I had already been in a routine of yoga, and I didn’t have any more knee pain!
Ultimately, going to run club and doing yoga really helped me prepare for my first race.
The Week Leading Up to the Champs Elysée 10k
The week before my race, I had planned to do a slow 5k to stretch my legs out, and couple the run with some yoga, but it ended up being such a rainy week that I didn’t get to run. I think I did one session of yoga and that’s about it. Not as active of a week leading up, but then again, maybe it was for the better to rest my legs.
Additionally, the night before the race I had a big bowl of pasta to help fuel up. I know it’s technically not that long of a race where you really need to carb-load, but I have noticed on my longer runs that I really lose energy the last 2 kilometers. I figured a little carb-loading would help!
The Morning of the Race : What to Expect
The morning of the race, I actually ended up waking up about an hour before my alarm because I had pre-race jitters. Which means I woke up about 6:30am unfortunately.
I was in the yellow SAS, which was for 10k finishers between the times of 55 minutes and 1 hour. I had only run about three 10k’s before my first race, but I had finished under an hour each time so I went with this SAS. The yellow SAS took off at 11:15am, but entrance to the SAS was at 10:50am.
My plan was to arrive at the Grand Palais (right where the bag drop was and just next to the start and finish line) for 9:30am because I didn’t know what to expect in terms of lines for the bag drop and also the bathroom. However, I couldn’t make up my mind on what to wear because it was so cold out (even though I planned it the night before) and ended up leaving about 20 minutes later than I wanted to, and arrived around 9:50am.
This timing ended up working out okay, and honestly was for the better since it was 30 degrees fahrenheit, or -1 degrees celsius.
Arriving to the race, it was such a beautiful and sunny day in Paris! Honestly, this doesn’t happen too often in the winter, especially as we just had a ran storm the past few days.
The energy coming out of the metro was immediately warm and excited, people were already running down the road warming up, stretching, and preparing for the race.
Despite arriving later than I’d wanted to, I had just enough time to drop my bag off and wait (about 30-40 minutes) to use the porta potty before starting. I entered the SAS exactly at 10:50am, so nearly missed the entrance!
Unfortunately, this means I didn’t have time to warm up, but I had stretched a bunch at my apartment before leaving at least. While waiting for the start with the other runners, I tried to keep myself warm by bouncing around to the music they had playing and stretching a bit more in place.
The energy at the start line was incredible. Everyone was in such high spirits, excited to start the race and get running. They had a DJ playing music and keeping us up beat, it was a great vibe before the race.
Running the Champs Elysée 10k
By the time the race had started, my toes and fingers had actually started to freeze because I’d been outside for so long, even with my warm gloves and two layers of socks! Honestly, I was surprised that they didn’t go numb sooner, but still this wasn’t ideal for the race.
I ended up not being able to feel my feet for about the first 6.5 kilometers! This actually worried me for a bit because I wouldn’t have been able to tell if I rolled my ankle on the cobblestone streets of Paris.
Even so, my feet actually started to hurt right as the race started (yes, despite not being able to feel them). Normally, my feet don’t hurt until around 8 kilometers in, so this worried me. But I think it was from the cold and not warming up properly because by mid-way through the race, I felt completely fine.
Throughout the race, I actually felt like I was going quite slow, and I felt quite heavy from my breakfast, even though I had eaten around 8am. I had two slices of toast with peanut butter, along with a banana, to fuel my run. But the peanut butter left me feeling heavy.
Despite all of these factors, the 10k was so much easier than I thought! After the first few kilometers, I started to feel really smooth while running, and didn’t even feel drained on the last 2 kilometers. I almost felt like I could keep going for another 5. Normally the end kills me, but I think I prepared well enough with pasta the night before and toast in the morning to keep me going!
Overall, I ended up running my fastest 10k yet! (Out of about 4 haha). I was really surprised I was able to run so well, and since I wasn’t even feeling my best, I know I can do so much better.
My official time ended up being 56 minutes and 39 second, which brings me to a pace of 5:39/km.
Post 10k Brunch & Stroll
After the race, I grabbed brunch with my friend at Le Corner Saint Germain. We actually had wanted to try out an açai bowl spot, but it was too crowded so we stumbled upon this cute spot by accident!
Their brunch menu was quite impressive. They had tons of options, and they were different from your typical brunch menu!
I ordered the Avocado Salmon Bruschetta, which came with a side salad and scrambled eggs. I also ordered a detox juice because I was feeling the need to replenish after my run. The meal was super good – I definitely recommend trying them out for a brunch in Paris!
After brunch, even though I had just run a 10k, we ended up walking along the Seine because it was such a beautiful day out. It’s not too often we get to see the sun here! It almost felt like spring despite it being so cold, and I’m so happy I didn’t have to run in the freezing rain in the morning.
By the end of the day, I ended up walking and running over a half marathon! It’s safe to say I was completely beat by the time I got back home.
Post Race Thoughts
After completing my first 10k, I actually feel like I could finish a half marathon! I felt so strong at the end, and a half marathon surprisingly didn’t seem that much longer or more difficult than a 10k. I never thought I would want to even try a half marathon, but I think that is going to be my next goal, outside of the 10k of the Pantheon and the 10 of Trocadero, apart of the Paris Master’s Circuit I’m signed up for. But since I’m in school for my master’s right now, I may save the half marathon for a bit down the road so that I can put more time in training.
Have you ran a 10k or half marathon before? How do you recommend training? Leave your thoughts in the comments!!
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Xx,
Carmela
Under The Sun 
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