Overview
- The Paris Marathon, which starts Sunday, is set for a record field of about 60,000 runners with 20,800 women, reflecting a larger shift toward mass participation across France.
- Organiser ASO will remove single‑use plastic bottles and cups on the course and add denser aid stations roughly every 4 km to keep hydration steady without disposable waste.
- Official federation data show 4.12 million recorded race results in 2025, up 40% year over year, alongside about 13,320 events nationwide including roughly 5,900 trail races.
- Women now make up 37% of event fields overall, with about 41% participation in 10 km races and near parity at 5 km, although safety worries and time pressures still shape how many can train and race.
- The running economy is booming at about €1.2 billion, with 9 million pairs of shoes sold in 2024, and the rush for bibs has tightened access and pushed late registration fees as high as €170.