The 2026 Paris Marathon is set to make history. When the race returns on April 12, 2026, runners will no longer find plastic bottles or paper cups at aid
If they really cared about the environment they wouldn't hold the event at all since by far the most polluting aspect of the race is the travel involved in 10000s of runners getting to the start line and back to wherever they came from.
If they really cared about the environment they wouldn't hold the event at all since by far the most polluting aspect of the race is the travel involved in 10000s of runners getting to the start line and back to wherever they came from.
Exactly that. I am all for being respectful to the environment, saving energy and all of that. But cupless races are plain stupid. Do a normal training run instead. The idea of a race is to run as fast as possible with the help of an race organization and aid stations. If you have to pour your water yourself it's not much of an race anymore.
You don’t pour your own fluids. You hold out your collapsible cup and volunteers fill it from a pitcher. Then you tuck your cup into the waistband of your shorts until you need it again. Lots of MUT races have been doing this for years.
I can’t say whether the environmental impact is justified compared to all the other impacts a mega race has. But when done correctly by experienced people, it’s not really much slower than grabbing a cup off a table.
You don’t pour your own fluids. You hold out your collapsible cup and volunteers fill it from a pitcher. Then you tuck your cup into the waistband of your shorts until you need it again. Lots of MUT races have been doing this for years.
I can’t say whether the environmental impact is justified compared to all the other impacts a mega race has. But when done correctly by experienced people, it’s not really much slower than grabbing a cup off a table.
I like to see that. There is a huge difference between a mountain trail race with a couple hundred people far spread out and the Paris Marathon with 57,000 hitting the 5k aid station within minutes.
You don’t pour your own fluids. You hold out your collapsible cup and volunteers fill it from a pitcher. Then you tuck your cup into the waistband of your shorts until you need it again. Lots of MUT races have been doing this for years.
I can’t say whether the environmental impact is justified compared to all the other impacts a mega race has. But when done correctly by experienced people, it’s not really much slower than grabbing a cup off a table.
agreed. For the elite, they should still have cups and bottles for them, as every second counts, but for the general public, who cares if you run 2:30 or 2:32? Every marathon is already a disaster on the environment, we should try to minimize the impact. That said,
agreed. For the elite, they should still have cups and bottles for them, as every second counts, but for the general public, who cares if you run 2:30 or 2:32? Every marathon is already a disaster on the environment, we should try to minimize the impact. That said,
It’s time we stop these racing events. As Ms. Waltz reminded us, running is a white power sport that is only available to straight, cis, white men. Now we are finally understanding the horrible environmental impact of these ghastly races. Not only should we stop these races, but we should shame anyone who participates. I, for one, have been keeping receipts of everyone who participates in these events and I WILL bring it all back home to roost once we’ve all woken up and agreed as a society that ALL runners are garbage, selfish, racist people who are in the FA stage of FAFO.
Aren’t 250,000 - 350,000 small, possibly recyclable/decomposable paper cups better than 50,000 “reusable” cups that likely sit in a landfill for eternity?
These are single-use cups we’re talking about, so they can be very recyclable. No one is standing around drinking beer out of them for a few hours.
As always… follow the money and you’ll find the truth.
agreed. For the elite, they should still have cups and bottles for them, as every second counts, but for the general public, who cares if you run 2:30 or 2:32? Every marathon is already a disaster on the environment, we should try to minimize the impact. That said,
I'm sorry, maybe I'm reading this wrong, but are you using "2:30 or 2:32" as part of the "general public"?
If they really cared about the environment they wouldn't hold the event at all since by far the most polluting aspect of the race is the travel involved in 10000s of runners getting to the start line and back to wherever they came from.
Exactly that. I am all for being respectful to the environment, saving energy and all of that. But cupless races are plain stupid. Do a normal training run instead. The idea of a race is to run as fast as possible with the help of an race organization and aid stations. If you have to pour your water yourself it's not much of an race anymore.
In it's purest form, the idea of a race should to be to run only with the energy stores that you have in your body on the start line and not to have people guzzling down energy gels and drinks every few miles to keep themselves going. I would just change the rules and not allow allow any aid stations in record eligible races.
To cut down on air travel pollution the race organizers could actually grow a pair and just ban the Africans due to the now proven doping problem in that part of the world.
agreed. For the elite, they should still have cups and bottles for them, as every second counts, but for the general public, who cares if you run 2:30 or 2:32? Every marathon is already a disaster on the environment, we should try to minimize the impact. That said,
I'm sorry, maybe I'm reading this wrong, but are you using "2:30 or 2:32" as part of the "general public"?
He comes from a tiny, obscure, hilly, affluent region of Europe where the general public runs much the same way the Dutch ride bicycles. The local 5k fun runs typically see men's times spread between 14:00 and 18:00. People with a BMI over 22 are considered functionally disabled.
I've done a couple. It takes 15-20 seconds more per aide station than at a race with cups. The ones I did were at smaller marathons where the field got spread out. At a bigger marathon where 70 people are in a pace group, it has fiasco written all over it. Could easily see it taking 5+ minutes to stand in line for your water.
If they really cared about the environment they wouldn't hold the event at all since by far the most polluting aspect of the race is the travel involved in 10000s of runners getting to the start line and back to wherever they came from.
If they really cared about the environment they wouldn't hold the event at all since by far the most polluting aspect of the race is the travel involved in 10000s of runners getting to the start line and back to wherever they came from.
Most French people will get there by train.
Because only French people run the Paris Marathon. Plus, one person flying from London creates a more detrimental environmental impact than 500,000 paper cups. It is ridiculous greenwashing BS.
You don’t pour your own fluids. You hold out your collapsible cup and volunteers fill it from a pitcher. Then you tuck your cup into the waistband of your shorts until you need it again. Lots of MUT races have been doing this for years.
I can’t say whether the environmental impact is justified compared to all the other impacts a mega race has. But when done correctly by experienced people, it’s not really much slower than grabbing a cup off a table.
But much slower is still slower. If you're a serious racer you don't want to deal with anything that slows you even the slightest bit. I get that on a mountain trail in the remote back country picking up discarded drink cups could be a real issue but in a road or city marathon cleaning up the aid stations is part of the job for organizers. And as others have mentioned, if you're so concerned about the environment that you don't want to discard a paper cup at aid stations what are you doing flying or even driving a long distance to a race?
At an upcoming race I have they specifically say you're allowed and encouraged to bring your own reusable cup. But all aid stations with provide disposable ones as well. Seems like a reasonable accommodation for everyone. I think it's insane to carry a cup with you for a marathon. But then again I see people running with their phone so who am I to judge.
