Paris Marathon: last‑week playbook
With the Paris Marathon on April 12, a leading sports physician recommends an ‘active recovery’ taper now — moderate intensity, more rest, and a strict focus on sleep and nutrition to cut injury risk. (actu.fr) The piece is timely for anyone chasing qualification or a PB three weeks out. (actu.fr)
Three weeks out, Dr Stéphane Cascua advises reducing to roughly 60% of the peak weekly volume while keeping one short threshold session and one short VMA (interval) session. (actu.fr) At two weeks he prescribes about 40% of peak volume with a single short threshold run, then a final-week reduction to roughly 20% with no intensity sessions. (actu.fr) Cascua frames the preparation by noting the typical last long run for an average-level runner in this cycle is about 30–35 kilometres. (actu.fr) Cascua practices at the Institut Médical Sport Santé in Paris and is a charged de cours (lecturer) at the Faculté de Médecine Pitié‑Salpêtrière, with university diplomas in sports traumatology, training and nutrition. (imss.fr) The Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris is set for Sunday, 12 April 2026 with an 8:00 a.m. start time announced on the event’s official site. (schneiderelectricparismarathon.com) Organisers expect about 60,000 participants for the 49th edition and have unveiled an elite roster featuring 20 men with lifetime bests under 2:10 and three women under 2:20. (stadion-actu.fr) Amaury Sport Organisation will provide pre‑filled flasks on course for runners aiming under 2:50, install nine refreshment points and four water stations spaced roughly every 2.5 km, and expects about 1,000 athletes to use the flask system. (actu.fr)
