The 10 km of the 14th: 40 years of running and sharing

The 10 km of the 14th celebrated their 40th edition this year. Organized by the Office of Sports Movement and the Town Hall of the 14th arrondissement of Paris, with the support of the JAM multisport club, this iconic race kicked off the Parisian running season, gathering nearly 3000 runners at the starting line.

It’s a tradition renewed every year by Carine Petit, mayor of the 14th arrondissement. She was delighted to be present to “ welcome and wish a good sporting and competition moment ” to the runners. It is “ a lively event that allows amateurs to start running, but not only… It’s a genuine sports, popular, family, and friendly meeting ”.

This year, the race was won by two trail runners, Jann Gutermann and Marie Laplace, clocking in at 30:51 and 37:22 respectively, both attending for “a little appetizer” to work on their speed before returning to trail running in the spring. Their next objectives: for one, the Ultra of Madeira and for the other, La Trace des Maquisards in Ain. Marie thanked everyone who warmed her with their “ fiery cheering ” as she truly suffered from the freezing cold of this January morning.

A friendly race in the south of Paris

The appeal of this race is its neighborhood proximity. The route, which spans two loops of 5 km, wanders through familiar streets around the town hall of the 14th. Many of the runners and supporters didn’t have to travel far from home. This was the case for Aude, who came with her family to support “ schoolmates from the neighborhood ”, enjoying cheering by calling out the runner’s name. She was thrilled to be there: “ We love it, we give, and you can see how important it is for them at the last turn. ” Hugo felt happy, “ a little nostalgic ” to revisit his old neighborhood for his first participation in the race with friends living nearby. Fadila, who achieved her personal best in 45:24, spoke of “ a very pleasant section of the course because past Montparnasse, it’s straightforward and flat ” and especially, this 14th arrondissement Parisian, shared how “ it’s amazing to be recognized by neighborhood people, to meet friends during the race ”. It’s the “ race of the home ” for Hailey. “ I ran into a neighbor before and during the race, a few shopkeepers who see us in a different context ”. Carla lives a few minutes from the start, “ at the level of Alésia ”. “ It’s really nice to recognize places we live all the time in and discover other small streets. ”

She is part of a group of six taking on the race, with 5 residing in this arrondissement. Carla’s cousins recommended registering, and Carla and her friend Margaux are ready, even though they doubt it while laughing. Under the cheers of supporters, all determined to come and encourage the participants, and sometimes even influenced to join next year, Carla finished her 10 km with a smile. François Denis, president of OMS14, highlighted the advantage of the local character of the race, hence his intention to keep the course and his hesitation regarding a possible change to come. This event is gaining momentum, and the question arises between OMS14, the town hall, and Son plus, the event service provider, about transforming the two 5 km loops into a single 10 km to accommodate more participants, “ always in exceptional conditions ”.

An inclusive event in the heart of the 14th

In the heart of the 14th, this race is also an essential event in the world of disabled sports. It’s one of the few adapted races allowing visually impaired individuals to perform under appropriate conditions. Carine Petit is proud of the “ fact that a time and organization is reserved for disabled sports ”, just like François Denis, member of the local disability committee, and his fellow organizers, try “ particularly to enable disabled individuals to practice sports with others, regardless of their potential constraints ”. The mayor adds that “ it’s an added value although it should be standard. It is historical because those who created this race have been highly engaged in disabled sports issues for 40 years ”. This commitment of the organizers provides visibility to disabled runners like rarely elsewhere.

An adapted start for the visually impaired: running with peace of mind

Oumar, a visually impaired athlete from the JAM disabled sports section, is preparing to run this race for the third time. It is the only race he participates in because he cannot find other races with optimal organization. Indeed, visually impaired individuals and their guides can start a few minutes before the able-bodied, which is not usually done. Yet, it’s crucial to allow visually impaired runners to fully express themselves on the pavement. Oumar points out that “ It helps to get bearings, to get into the rhythm while avoiding jostling ”. Lila, his guide, with whom he trained numerous times, agrees by saying that “ often, at the start of races, there are loads of people making it complicated to guide and weave through holding a two-person link ”. Hailey, Marie-Jeanne‘s guide this and last year, echoes Lila’s words: “ It’s easier to be overtaken than being in the middle of a crowd. ”

Dedicated volunteers at the runners’ service, at the heart of the action

The success of the race would not be possible without the commitment of volunteers. Most of them are regulars, “ and now, they are getting a bit older ”. Generally, “ these are people who have ties to this district ”. However, others, like Jina, retired, coming specifically from the 93, and Marly, awake at 5 am, don’t just go down the stairs of their buildings to be at their posts. They come from afar to ensure runner safety, but they enjoy being there, “ being actors at the heart of the action ”. For Marly, “ it’s a way to participate even if sometimes we have physical limits ”.

The 10 km of the 14th are to be found next year, same period and same place, with motivated volunteers from the neighborhood and beyond, as well as supporters “ on fire ”!