The Challenging Marathon Course at the Paris Olympics

The Challenge of the Paris Marathon Course

Ed Eyestone is a man of measured words. As a seasoned coach and a two-time Olympian, he has a unique ability to discuss the rigorous 23-mile training runs of his athletes with a nonchalance that might suggest they were merely taking a leisurely stroll. Eyestone appreciates that intense training is an essential aspect of the profession and recognizes that marathons are inherently difficult endeavors. So, why embellish the trials they face?

However, when the conversation shifts to the marathon course set to challenge athletes at the upcoming Paris Olympics, Eyestone’s tone takes on a note of reverence tinged with apprehension. “This marathon,” he remarked, “will present a debris field in the final miles.”

In the weeks leading up to the Games, countless Olympians have risen to face what many deem insurmountable challenges. Gymnasts have executed their routines on precarious 4-inch beams, skateboarders have soared over daunting rails and ramps, and triathletes have plunged into waters that are less than pristine. Yet, the Paris 2024 organizers appear to have reserved the most grueling test for last—an arduous marathon that spans 26.2 punishing miles.

This particular marathon course is poised to challenge competitors with a relentless series of steep ascents and punishing descents, making it arguably the toughest marathon course ever to feature in Olympic history. “It’s really hard to envision the course’s extremity without experiencing it firsthand,” one coach noted, highlighting the daunting nature of the challenge.

Ultimately, the quest for Olympic glory is fraught with difficulties. The underlying aim, however, may simply be to endure the trials ahead. “Oh, my gosh,” Canadian marathoner Malindi Elmore reflected after her first glimpse of the course back in February, “this looks utterly ridiculous.”