Drinking wine while running a marathon…?
If that appeals to you, Marathon du Médoc is the race to be at! Arranged every September in Bordeaux, on the famous Left Bank of the Gironde estuary, it’s the funniest – and booziest – marathon in the world.
What makes this wine marathon even more fun, and tougher too, is that people run it in showy costumes. The theme changes every year, and you can dress accordingly if you want to.
In 2016, when I ran through Médoc, the theme was historical figures. As this was my first marathon ever, I decided to skip the costume and run in sports clothes instead. What a dullard.
THE STUNNING WINE ROUTE
First of all, the route of Marathon du Médoc is stunning. I can’t recommend it enough! As you see from the map, it passes iconic Bordeaux châteaux and their vineyards, which were the main reason why I wanted to take part. Making my living from wine writing, seeing as many Bordeaux châteaux as possible while running felt like a dream.
Besides wine, I was drawn to the idea that there would be live music and cheeses to taste along the route. Towards the end of the race, I would also find out that they serve oysters and entrecôte for the runners. So very French that you’ve just gotta love it.
IS 7.5 WEEKS OF TRAINING ENOUGH?
Even though I had the habit of running all year round in my home country (Finland), I knew that my 8-10 km runs would not help me to finish a full marathon “just like that”.
Therefore, when Antoine Moueix invited me to be the female runner in their team, I gladly took the challenge AND decided to start training well ahead (which never happened).
In mid-July 2016, moving to Paris for the summer, I had less than two months of training time ahead. What didn’t make things easier, was the super hot summer in Paris.
Despite +29 ºC morning temperatures, I spent my month running up and down of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont and Parc de Belleville, and roaming wine bars in the evenings. In those temperatures, even 16-18 km runs felt heavy.
Returning to Helsinki in late August, I managed to finish three > 30-kilometre runs quite easily. Still, listening to those people who laughed at my 7.5-week training period, I felt unsure.
LAST-MINUTE DECISION TO ATTEND
After hesitation, I buy the flights 13 days before the marathon. Counting on my basic fitness level, I fly to Bordeaux 1.5 days before September 10th. To be honest, my injury-prone ankles are worrying me more than the potential of my lungs in hot weather.
All ambivalent feelings are washed away the moment my feet hit the streets of Bordeaux. I meet the Antoine Moieux team right away and feel great, beautiful, elastic, healthy and full of life.
Having spent two weeks without wine as a part of my preparation for the race, I immediately allow myself a glass of white Entre-Deux-Mers. Later that evening, we enjoy some Pauillac red wine at a waterside restaurant in Pauillac while eating meat with butter to help our bodies to sleep well before the Big Morning. I’m already in love with Bordeaux.
Our night is warm and mellow. Until the wind rises from the Gironde.
WELCOME TO THE CARNIVAL
After 6.5 hours of sleep and a breakfast at Château Liversan – a beautiful château we’re staying in – we stand with 8,500 runners at the start line at 9:30 am.
The carnival atmosphere is unbelievable. Something that you should experience once. No trace of stress or bloodthirsty competition. And hundreds of locals watching and clapping their hands.
A hot day awaits us: the wind is gone and the forecast predicts 26 to 28 degrees. I feel confident, and decide to smile from the start until the bitter end.
While the route passes some of the greatest châteaux in the world, as a marathon rookie I first concentrate on drinking water. It’s a pity since Château Lynch-Bages, Pichon-Longueville and Beychevelle are located along the first 10 kilometres.
Those kilometres are slow and pretty chaotic since there are so many runners that it’s impossible to run without being interrupted or someone stepping on your toes. Also, you need to queue for water.
THE SMILING FINN
Once the first 1/3 of the marathon is behind, the crowd becomes thinner. I increase my speed, even though I don’t have any time plan or a watch with me. Unfortunately, I’ve also lost my team, four men, in the crowd before the first 5 kilometres.
Running feels stunning. I smile and reach that flowing state where thoughts just come and go while you breathe together with the universe.
As promised, I keep smiling until the heat finally strikes me at Château Lafite-Rotschild.
IS MY MIND STRONG ENOUGH?
Contrary to what experienced runners warned me about what happens after 33 kilometres, my personal inferno lasts from 25 to 29.
After reaching 30 kilometres, I reach that zen state of mind again. The greatest moment during the run is at Château Phélan-Ségur (34.5 km) where the DJ is playing the mega-hit from my teens, Mory Kante’s Yeke Yeke, and people are dancing in a frenzy.
As a long-time fan of Phélan-Ségur, I realise I’m dying to have wine. But running feels so ecstatic that I just want to keep going.
FINAL KILOMETRES FULL OF DESPAIR
My next inferno starts at 38 kilometres as I finally take and swallow my first glass of wine. Something white. I don’t remember it; I feel just tired.
The last kilometres are… horrible. You would think that being so close to the finish line makes things easy, but I can tell you: it does NOT. The direct road to Pauillac, with no end in sight yet, laughs in my face. My feet move, still, but only with willpower.
Once it’s over, I don’t feel tired. Grabbing my medal and the gift bottle, I walk away after giving a short interview for a French TV channel.
Two guys from our team are waiting at a restaurant nearby. The first thing we order is a bottle of champagne. Louis Roederer Brut has never tasted as delicious! As we don’t feel dead at all, we drive to the coast for a wine dinner.
WHY 10 SECONDS MATTER?
My final result is 5:00:10. With that, I rank as 1 387th among those 7 669 runners who finished, ending up in the best 13 % among the females.
For a first-timer with NO training program, running plan or eating regime that’s pretty decent, especially as crazy Marathon du Médoc is not famous for scoring records. Also, the first 9.75 kilometres in the crowd took me shocking 1 hour and 24 minutes. Too long to aim at four hours!
As the evening goes by, those 10 seconds irritate me more and more. Especially, because I know who to blame for not running 4:59:59. The entrecôte stand! How on earth did I think that after 38 km of running I would enjoy digesting meat in scorching heat?
RECOVERING… WITH WINE!
The following morning after the marathon, we all prepare to sleep longer. But at 6:30, I feel energetic and not aching much. A quick body-check shows neither injured nails nor abrasion despite running in a normal lace bra. Just one tiny blister, that’s all.
Over breakfast, I happily enjoy a hefty glass of red Bordeaux while strolling around Château Liversan.
Soon after, it is time to reward ourselves with a visit to Château Lynch-Bages. Their tasty, firm and structured wines feel like elixirs for our runner bodies. At this stage of the lifespan, Ormes de Pez feels more approachable and less tannic than the principal label, Lynch-Bages.
To further pamper ourselves, we head to Marché des Quais, the Sunday market of Bordeaux. In stunning sun and +37 ºC, we enjoy un-iced (!) oysters with white wine. Luckily our Marathon day was the only below-thirty day during that week.
For a more gonzo piece on Marathon du Médoc, check this Guardian article. Having read that, if you still feel eager to participate, registration for the next Marathon should be in March 2017 (link below). But they never reveal the exact day in advance.
My sincere thanks to Antoine Moueix Propriétés. It was great to run in your team, even though I lost all you guys after the first five kilometres.
Another thank you goes to Jean-Yves Saint-Céran for arranging press photos for a runner that could not take pictures during the marathon. The main photo is credited to: AMCM/De Tienda/Mainguy.
