The 2011 Paris Marathon
Marathon # 2
Country # 2
Date: April 10, 2011
My Time: 3:46:45
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
Update: January 16, 2024
This was my second marathon. At the time I was just looking for a qualification for the Boston Marathon, which I missed by less than two minutes. Of course, like most people, I was not aware in 2011 that long-distance running is about keeping us fit and healthy, while running barefoot prevents pain, injury and fatigue so much so that doing a marathon turns into a walk in the park.
Fortunately, I progressively found out in the ensuing years how and why we ended up wrongly thinking that “civilized” humans are unfit for running, except the “exceptional” ones, and that runners need to wear sneakers, some of which are even allegedly “made for a flying finish.” I saw for the first time a mass of these “flying runners” at the start village of the 2019 New York Marathon, which was my barefoot marathon # 64.
I’ve so far participated in 11 editions of the race: three times with sneakers (in 2011, 2013 and 2014), twice with minimalist shoes (in 2015 and 2022) and six times barefoot (in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024).
My 11 Paris Marathons Results
The 2011 Paris Marathon, France: 3:46:45 (PR in Paris)
The 2013 Paris Marathon, France: 3:56:51
The 2014 Paris Marathon, France: 3:54:35
The 2015 Paris Marathon, France: 3:49:47
The 2016 Paris Marathon, France: 4:27:49 (barefoot)
The 2018 Paris Marathon, France: 3:54:17 (barefoot)
The 2019 Paris Marathon, France: 4:07:03 (barefoot)
The 2021 Paris Marathon, France: 4:19:06 (barefoot)
The 2022 Paris Marathon, France: 4:08:10
The 2023 Paris Marathon, France: 4:30:16 (barefoot)
The 2024 Paris Marathon, France: 4:37:52 (barefoot)
In 2016 a patronizing runner offered to grant me his training shoes after the race. What would you respond to a guy who stupidly thinks that a Paris Marathon participant is running barefoot because of poverty?
As my followers may have noticed, I’ve partially “civilized” my running outfit to try to help people like him get a better understanding of “modern” barefoot running. “Sending our shabby shoes to Africa” is one of the chapters of my book Running Barefoot for Human Survival.
Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
Country # 2
Date: April 10, 2011
My Time: 3:46:45
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
Update: January 16, 2024
This was my second marathon. At the time I was just looking for a qualification for the Boston Marathon, which I missed by less than two minutes. Of course, like most people, I was not aware in 2011 that long-distance running is about keeping us fit and healthy, while running barefoot prevents pain, injury and fatigue so much so that doing a marathon turns into a walk in the park.
Fortunately, I progressively found out in the ensuing years how and why we ended up wrongly thinking that “civilized” humans are unfit for running, except the “exceptional” ones, and that runners need to wear sneakers, some of which are even allegedly “made for a flying finish.” I saw for the first time a mass of these “flying runners” at the start village of the 2019 New York Marathon, which was my barefoot marathon # 64.
I’ve so far participated in 11 editions of the race: three times with sneakers (in 2011, 2013 and 2014), twice with minimalist shoes (in 2015 and 2022) and six times barefoot (in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024).
My 11 Paris Marathons Results
The 2011 Paris Marathon, France: 3:46:45 (PR in Paris)
The 2013 Paris Marathon, France: 3:56:51
The 2014 Paris Marathon, France: 3:54:35
The 2015 Paris Marathon, France: 3:49:47
The 2016 Paris Marathon, France: 4:27:49 (barefoot)
The 2018 Paris Marathon, France: 3:54:17 (barefoot)
The 2019 Paris Marathon, France: 4:07:03 (barefoot)
The 2021 Paris Marathon, France: 4:19:06 (barefoot)
The 2022 Paris Marathon, France: 4:08:10
The 2023 Paris Marathon, France: 4:30:16 (barefoot)
The 2024 Paris Marathon, France: 4:37:52 (barefoot)
In 2016 a patronizing runner offered to grant me his training shoes after the race. What would you respond to a guy who stupidly thinks that a Paris Marathon participant is running barefoot because of poverty?
As my followers may have noticed, I’ve partially “civilized” my running outfit to try to help people like him get a better understanding of “modern” barefoot running. “Sending our shabby shoes to Africa” is one of the chapters of my book Running Barefoot for Human Survival.
Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
Dr. Sidy Diallo did at 55 in Paris, France, his second marathon.