jameshurrell.co.uk

Juliet and I have just returned from a great trip to Paris to see friends and also for me to take part in a 20km (12.4miles!) run called Les 20km de Paris. I flew out on Sunday 11th October and did four days work, then Juliet joined me on Thursday evening. Thursday night saw us at Nik and Bruno’s for a wonderful meal and then we spent a leisurely Friday wandering around Paris!

On Friday evening our friends James and Rosie flew out and Juliet and I went to stay with Emmanuel and Marine. Saturday involved a 6km run, a massive brunch that lasted for hours, a trip on a Bateau Mouche and an evening meal in a brasserie in Châtelet.

Sunday was the day of the race - a race James, Emmanuel and I had somewhat foolishly agreed to take part in during my (drunken) Stag Weekend - so after a breakfast of porridge (slow release energy!) we all went down to the start at Pont d’Iena, near the Eiffel Tower. The start was scheduled for 10am, but because of the numbers of people it took us 10 minutes to cross the start line. The first 10km were good and the course took us through the Bois de Boulogne and back to the Seine. Then another 10km along the quais, past the Eiffel Tower, up to the Louvre and then back down the opposite bank to finish at the Eiffel Tower. All three of us finished in under two hours (within our target!), but I found the last three km quite tough. At km 19 (in true James style) James managed to sprint off and get a 24 second lead on Emmanuel and I!

You can see my results here.

Before and after!

There are also some pictures in the image gallery.

And finally a little film taken by Juliet to catch the atmosphere: