Athletics and marathons: where can you practice these sports in Paris and the Ile-de-France region?

Athletics and running in general are a blend of many disciplines, requiring endurance, strength and great physical fitness in order to succeed in each of the competitive events (amateur or professional). Discus throw, hurdles or marathon: find out where you can practice these different disciplines in Paris and the Paris region!

Athletics is one of those sports with a huge variety of events: in fact, it's the discipline with the most participants at the Olympic Games. There are a total of 5 categories within the sport, which themselves include other disciplines: combined events, race walking, jumping, throwing and running. Athletics is practised in clubs from a very early age, even if the categories officially start with benjamins and benjamines, who are members of the Fédération Française d'Athlétisme!

The racing family includes sprint races (for short distances), relays, hurdles and middle-distance races (for medium or long distances, such as marathons). Athletics also includes shot-putting, hammer throwing, discus throwing and javelin throwing, as well as jumping: high jump, long jump, pole vault and triple jump (three jumps before the big jump).

Combined events include the decathlon and pentathlon, while race walking requires the same stamina as long-distance running, with the slight difference that you have to extend your leg when you place your foot on the ground - hence the unusual gait of top-level athletes, who are penalized when they adopt a classic running stride. Whatever your age, and whatever discipline you'd like to practice, here are the clubs where you can train throughout the Ile-de-France region. 3, 2, 1...Go!