The Paris Marathon is big. With 52,078 starters in 2023 it was bigger than the London Marathon and Chicago Marathon. If you’re turning up to cheer on a friend or loved one from the sidelines, it helps to know when they’re approaching the area where you’re standing, or if you’ve missed them and need to hightail it to the next viewing spot.
To do that, your best bet is to use live tracking feature of the Paris Marathon app, which is available to download on iOS and Android. It’s also useful for people cheering on from afar, who want to see how their runner is progressing.
Here’s everything you need to know to successfully track a runner at the Paris Marathon.
How To Track A Runner In The Paris Marathon App
When you open the app you’ll be presented with two options. Choose Accèss Live Tracking 2024, or 2024 Live Tracking Access. You can then search by name or bib number and add up to 10 runners to see their progress on race day.
You won’t be able to see the exact location of your runner at all times. There are timing mats set up every 5km and at the halfway point, and the app shows when they pass over these mats.
If the app gives a moving location on the day, it is merely estimating progress so bear in mind that your runner may have slowed down, stopped or even sped up!
When Is The Paris Marathon?
In 2024, the Paris Marathon is held on April 7.
When Does The Paris Marathon Start?
The competitors in wheelchairs begin the race at 7.55am. The elite runners set off at 8am CET (7am BST; 2am EDT; 1am CDT; 11pm PDT, Sat Apr 7). The mass-participation field then sets off in waves, from fastest runners to slowest. Ask your runner which color wave they’re in, or the estimated finish time they logged with organizers, which dictates which wave they start in.
| Wave | Estimated Finish Time | Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| Red | 3hr | 8.05am |
| Yellow | 3hr 15min | 8.27am |
| Blue | 3hr 30min | 8.47am |
| Purple | 3hr 45min | 9.26am |
| Green | 4hr | 10.06am |
| Gray | 4hr 15min | 10.51am |
| Pink | 4hr 30min | 11.10am |