Every year, around 50,000 runners traverse the length of the Seine in order to finish the one thing less Parisian than a McDonald’s restaurant by the Notre Dame: the Paris Marathon.
The marathon took place this Sunday, April 8th, starting at the Champs-Élysées and ending with a full runaround of the river completed on the west side of the Arc de Triomphe. An estimated one hundred forty nationalities participated, and thousands of annoyingly-ambitious French people ran the unthinkable distance of 42.195 km, or 26.219 miles.
Watch this video to catch some highlights of the race, a heartwarming showcase of the power of the human will set against the backdrop of some of Paris’ most inspiring sights. And if seeing the Arc de Triomphe proudly beckoning you with a “You did it!” sign doesn’t make you want to strap on a pair of running shoes, then you might want to check to make sure you’re still breathing.
