54,000 runners...my largest marathon ever! First things first, if you're looking for a runcation, this is it. The expo rivaled Chicago Marathon's expo. A walkway divided two expos, the second had more destination race sign ups. I felt like a kid in a candy store. Race Day: Took the Metro to the Arc de Triomphe, the train is packed w/ runners. By the time we started, 14,000 runners already took off. Finally it's our turn, 30 minutes later. I hung w/ the 3:45 group. I liked their pace and the crowd gave us great energy. The course had a few tough spots along the way. I had to remind myself why I was here and what I wanted...to run & have fun. It wasn't about time. I got it together and ran my own race, finishing w/ 3:49. Also, they made runners work for their finisher tees. They gave it to you just before your medal. Overall, fun, but challenging course.