The Amazing Paris Marathon
The Little Known Facts about the First and the Last Paris Marathons
Mar 21, 2009
It will start at 8:45 a.m (handisports: 8:35 a.m) April 5th, 2009 - on the Champs Elysees, Paris. The 37000 quota has long been filled. The following is a list of some of the interesting but little known facts about Paris Marathon, presented as questions and answers about the first and the last great Paris races.
About the First Paris Marathon
When was the first Paris Marathon run?
On 19 th July 1896.
What was the distance of the race?
40 kilometers.
How many runners were in the first event?
191 runners.
How many spectators were there?
2000.
Who won it?
The British man Len Hurst.
What was his winning time?
2 hour 31 min 30 sec.
How much was the prize money?
200 francs.
How much older was the first Paris Marathon compared with the first London Marathon?
12 years.
What was the cut off time for a runner to receive a commemorative medal?
Four hours.
About the Last (2008) Paris Marathon
How many competitors were running?
37000 competitors.
How many finished?
28883.
What percentage were women?
16.5%.
What percentage were foreigners?
29.2%.
What percentage of the registrants registered online?
82%.
How many different countries were represented?
93.
How many spectators were there cheering on the streets?
Around 200000.
How many volunteers were helping out?
2700.
How many refreshment stands were there?
9.
What was the weight of bananas given out?
17000 kg of bananas.
Was more or less oranges than bananas given out?
More, 50 kg more oranges were given out.
What was the weight of sugar cubes given out?
2000kg.
Was more or less dried fruits than sugar cubes given out?
Same, 2000kg.
How many bottles of water were given out?
436800.
How many runners wouldn't be given a sponge?
7000. There were 30000 sponges for the 37000 runners.
How many musical groups performed at the event?
70.
How many runners were at the Pasta Party the night before the event?
20000.
How many items of sports clothes were prepared for the officials and volunteers?
3000.
How many gifts or samples were given to spectators on the route by the sponsors?
50000.
How many cars were used by the organisation?
50.
Where were the race leaders when the last runners crossed the start line?
Place de la Nation, almost 1.5 km from the start line.
Who is Simon Munyutu?
Simon Munyuto is the event made local hero, a French athlete who finished at 2 hr 9min 24sec at the 11th position and qualified for the Beijing Olympics Marathon event. He is also the companion of Kenya's Martha Komu, the champion of the ladies event.
When did Martha Komu established her lead in the ladies event?
At the final 200 meters.
What were the colored balloons about?
These colorful objects floating in the air were carried by the pacers responsible to pace the runners for the 4 hr 30min (pink balloon), 4 hr (green balloon), 3hr 45 min (purple balloon), 3 hr 30 min (blue balloon), 3 hr 15 min (yellow balloon) and 3 hr (red balloon) finishes.
Are these facts true? Where do all these come from?
The Official Paris Marathon Web-site.
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