Marathon de Paris
Chaque coureur a son histoire, ses habitudes, ses réussites et ses défis. À travers cette série, nous mettons en lumière les membres de la communauté Circle pour raconter leur parcours et partager une de leur experience en tant que runner.
This episode is in English as we sat down with Matt, an international runner from our community. Fresh off the Paris Marathon, he shares the highs, the challenges (including a few unexpected ones), and what running means to him, from early morning routines to his commitment to sustainability.
Can you tell us about your overall experience running the Paris Marathon?
The overall experience was amazing, I’m so greatfull to Circle and Runlimited for the opportunity to run the Paris marathon. I loved running through the streets of Paris it’s such a great city, the Parisians really showed up to give the race an awesome atmosphere! Whilst I might not have got the final result I wanted (more on that below), the race taught me some valuable lessons for future marathons so I’m treating it as a positive experience.
What was going through your mind at the start line? And how did you feel crossing the finish line?
On the start line I felt unexpectedly calm…I can’t say exactly why this start was so different to other marathons (where typically I’ve had the usual pre race nerves). If anything it should have been the opposite as the race prep didn’t exactly go to plan, I picked up runners knee three weeks out from the marathon, so did very little running over that final period. Upon crossing the finish line I had mixed emotions, firstly a sense of relief as the race was over, then a mixture of happiness from completing the race but disappointment for not achieving the time I had originally planned, more on that later.
Did anything unexpected happen during the race?
What a leading question as you already know the answer to this one(!)…for the readers the race didn’t quite go to plan but not for the reasons I expected. The race was a tale of three stages, the first 15km went exactly to plan, I was slightly ahead of pace and felt great. From 15km my stomach started to churn and something didn’t feel right, I tried to push through but was forced to make a ‘pit’ stop (if you know what I mean). Thankfully at that point I spotted what appeared to be a porter-loo in the distance, otherwise I was very close to diverting off course and into the woods. For the next few kilometers I seemed to bounce back and managed to get back into the rhythm of the race, hitting 20km mark on pace for my target time. However from 20km onwards the stomach issues returned with a vengeance, including stomach cramps for the remainder of the race and one further ‘pit’ stop. From then on the race and furling plan went out of the window, so the remainder of a race was a real mental and physical struggle.
How did you prepare physically and mentally for the marathon?
I decided that I wanted to make Paris a PB race, so I followed a training plan that really pushed me beyond what I had previously thought capable. Physically I felt the strongest and most prepared I ever had, which positively impacted my mental preparation. Regarding the mental preparation I really tried not to over think the race, taking each day & training sessions as it came. For the weekend long runs I prepared by running with the Runlimited team. I, along with several others, volunteered as a pacer for their London Marathon training block. Having other people to run with made a huge difference for the long runs and really made those sessions far more pleasant, even enjoyable!
What was the biggest challenge in your training journey?
The biggest challenge was dealing with an injury so close to race day and the unknown of whether I would/should be running. Going from being active and running 5 days a week to doing no running was a real mental challenge.
Any rituals or routines that helped you stay focused?
For me it is all about consistency, having a clear training plan in place so that I knew exactly what I would be doing that day. I also tried to do all my runs first after waking up, I’m naturally a morning person and find I’m at my best when running first thing in the morning. For me any form of exercise in the morning is such a great way to start the day.
What gear did you run in, and how did it support you during the race?
I ran in the latest Circle drop including the Legend singlet & shorts and the planet cap. I’m a big fan on the Legend collection, one of the most important factors for me is comfort. The quality of the material was great and extremely comfortable for the duration of the race. As a bonus I also love the style of the kit, so on race day I felt/looked great which was an additional mental boost.
How important is sustainable and high-performance gear for you as an athlete?
In everyday clothing I try to be a conscious consumer, steering away from fast fashion and going for products that are built to last a long time. However, it is still a struggle to find mainstream options that are fully sustainable. The same is true for performance gear, so to have a brand such as Circle making a conscious decision to be sustainable and provide sustainable products is a great thing to see. Let’s hope that others follow! When it comes to sustainability there is often a concern that this might result in a loss of quality. However having run in the Legend collection I can vouch that the quality is as good, if not better than other gear that I own. In particular, I really liked the tank top which was extremely comfortable and had a great fit.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about running their first marathon?
I would say stop thinking about it and DO IT! The whole process of your first marathon is such an amazing and transformative experience. However it’s not easy, the training is a massive commitment it takes a huge amount of time and effort but the mental and physical benefits far out-way the struggles. My top three tips are: 1. Find some people to run with, whether that’s a friend, family member or run club. Trust me, having people to run with on those long runs will make it so much easier and more enjoyable! 2. Ensure you have balance in your training…include variety in your runs with a mixture of slow, tempo, interval, short and long runs. You should also build in strength and conditioning and allow plenty of time for recovery. 3. Prepare properly, running a marathon is HARD. Give yourself 16 weeks (or more) to prepare properly for the race. Whilst this may seem a long time, it’s important to build slowly so that your body has time to condition to the stress you’re putting it through.
Thanks, Matt, for sharing your story. We’re proud to have you in the Circle community. Here’s to many more finish lines ahead!