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TABLE OF CONTENTS

2015 PARIS HALF MARATHON 3

– Key dates and figures 3

– The race 3

– Competitors 3

– A growing success 4

– 5 refreshment stands 4

REVERSING THE COURSE: THE NEW FEATURE OF THE 2015 EDITION 5

THE RACE 6

– The start 7

– The finish 8

– Race timetable 8

34% OF WOMEN IN THE FIELD! 9

GIRL POWER! 10

A VILLAGE FOR ALL RUNNERS 11

RUNNING TO THE BEAT OF MUSIC, PARIS-STYLE 12

ADIDAS’ INTERVIEW 13

VITTEL’S INTERVIEW 14

OUR PARTNERS PARTENAIRES 15

MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS 16

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2015 PARIS HALF MARATHON

Key dates and figures

Date: Sunday, March 8, 2015 Edition: 23rd 1st Edition: 1993 A.S.O. has organized the event since 1998 Start of the running season Second biggest race in France (after the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon) Third largest half marathon in the world after the Göteborgsvarvet (Sweden - ) and

the Bupa Great North Run (United Kingdom - ) Over 23,000 fans on Facebook

The race

Start

o Esplanade of the Château de Vincennes o Field start time: from 10am to 11.30am

Finish o Esplanade of the Château de Vincennes o Estimated finishing time of the first runner: 11 am o Estimated finishing time of the last runner: 1:50 pm

Event records o Men: Stanley Biwott (KEN): 59′44″ (2012) o Ladies: h 07′55″ (2012)

Over 1,200 volunteers on duty 5 first aid stations

Competitors

Registered participants: 43,500 Gender distribution: 66% men / 34% women (+4% women compared with 2014) Average age: 37 years An average of 7 years of experience in running Percentage of competitors racing over 21.1 km for the first time: 40%

Number of countries represented: 120

85% of registered participants are French (73% from Île-de-France). The United Kingdom , Italy , Belgium , the Netherlands and the United States follow in the classification.

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A growing success

43,500 competitors in 2015, up from 12,507 in 2005 32,900 finishers in 2014 (twice as many as in 2005)

5 refreshment stands (One every 5 km)

142,560 bottles of water

1.1 tonne of nuts 300 kg of sugar Over 6 tonnes of oranges Over 8 tonnes of Guadeloupian and Martinican bananas

You will find all the details on the 2015 Paris Half Marathon on the official website: www.semideparis.com/fr/homepage.html

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REVERSING THE COURSE: THE NEW

FEATURE OF THE 2015 EDITION

ne of the main appeals of the Spring Challenge is its fast course, perfect for runners who want to clock a solid time over the 21.1 km distance. This time round, competitors will tackle the course in the

opposite direction of previous editions, because of the end of the tramway renewal works past years. The race will start on the esplanade of the Château de Vincennes – Avenue Daumesnil and head towards Saint-Mandé and the Porte Dorée.

After the km 5 refreshment stand, the field will run across Place de la Nation and take Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine to Place de la Bastille. The area near the July Column and Rue de Rivoli is often packed with a massive crowd. At this point in the course, participants in the half marathon will be right in the heart of the French

capital. They will then run around the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), reaching km 10 —where the second refreshment stand will be set up— before heading back to Place de la Bastille. The next part —via Avenue Daumesnil and Rue de Charenton— is probably the toughest one, featuring an uphill false flat with the potential to take the steam out of runners who have failed to dose their efforts properly. The race will reach Bois de Vincennes and the third refreshment stand 15 km after the start. At 9.95 km2, the forest covers 10% of the total surface area of Paris and is the largest green space in the French capital. In keeping with tradition, the finish line of the Paris Half Marathon will be located on the esplanade of the Château de Vincennes, at the end of a long final straight on Route de la Pyramide.

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Credit : ASO/Maindru 2014 Paris Half Marathon

Winner MEN - Mulle WASIHUN (ETH) 1h00'08" / Winner LADIES - Yebrgual MELESE (ETH) 1h09'24"

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THE RACE

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The start

efore the race has even started, coaches will help the runners warm up to the beat of the music. Each of the nine starting areas will be abuzz with camaraderie

and a hint of nervousness: 40% of runners in the 2015 Paris Half Marathon will be making their debut over the 21.1 km distance.

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The finish

Race timetable

KM Street First runner Last runner

Start Avenue Daumesnil 10:00:00 11:30:00

5 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine 10:14:10 12:12:40

10 Quai Henri IV 10:28:20 12:55:20

15 Avenue de Gravelle 10:42:30 13:38:00

20 Route de la Pyramide 10:56:40 14:20:40

Finish -

21.1 kmRoute de la Pyramide 10:59:30 14:29:12

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34% OF WOMEN IN THE FIELD!

t is a serendipitous coincidence that the 23rd edition of the Paris Half Marathon will be held on International Women's Day. Come next March 8, thousands of ladies of all ages and levels will start the race in the capital from the esplanade of the Château de Vincennes. It will be the

first time that so many female runners take part in a half marathon in France.

Over a third of the runners who have signed up for the Paris Half Marathon are women, a 4% increase on the 2014 edition. Women are likely to eventually outnumber men in endurance races, as is the case in the United States, where 61% of half marathon finishers in 2013 were women, who clocked an average time of 2 h 19′ (source: Running USA). According to a survey conducted by Kantar Sport last year, 7.8 million French people claim to go running at least once a month, compared with 5.9 million in 2013 (a 32% increase). Women represent 44% of this huge sports community. The Kantar Sport survey revealed a 70% rise in the number of women who practise running between 2013 and 2014 (3.4 million versus 2 million). This amazing growth can easily be seen in the fields. As in the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon, the percentage of women who have signed up for

the half marathon in the French capital has gone up by 4% this year.

All female participants will get a wristband when they go to pick up their race numbers before the start of the 23rd edition. A girls-only training session will be organised beforehand (Saturday, the 14th of February 2015) to stoke the fire of hundreds of runners looking forward to living a wonderful sports experience at the Paris Half Marathon.

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GIRL POWER!

-year-old Coralie from Paris is gearing up for her first half marathon. She admits she is a bit nervous: "Some of my friends have finished marathons. Their feats obviously put pressure on me, but they're also a source of inspiration." So what is her objective on

March 8? "Simply making it to the finish! I've put in some serious training. I've followed a training plan a coach designed for me. It's not like I'm going on an adventure, but I still feel apprehensive…" Women, hard-working and consistent, are ever more present in the front third of the field, proving that some of them harbour ambitions far beyond merely finishing the race. Just like the lads, they want to push their limits and shave seconds or minutes off their times ! Among them, Catherine is an experienced trail runner who has set herself the ambitious challenge of running 21.1 km in under 1 h 45′. "I didn't expect to have so much fun when I started preparing", she points out. "Training on the track, doing interval training and maintaining a certain pace is all new to me. I like it, though! I'm looking forward to doing this half marathon." Gilda, an haute couture designer, is rather chirpier and is preparing for the upcoming challenge with serenity. "I had to sit out last year's race due to an injury. Fingers crossed, I'll be on the start line this year. I just want to have fun and have a nice time with other runners. It's crazy how lucky we are to experience such special moments…"

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A VILLAGE FOR ALL RUNNERS

ith sixty exhibitors on site, the Paris Half Marathon Village is the first big event of the running season. Event partners will show off the latest products to hit the running market at their stands. The running press and charities associated with the event will be

there as well. Competitors who come to retrieve their race numbers will get to discover the many races present in the Village and, why not, pick up a few ideas for their running calendar.

Paris Half Marathon Village

Opening dates and times

Friday, March 6, 2015: 10 am – 7:30 pm Saturday, March 7, 2015: 9 am – 7:30 pm

How to get there Parc Floral de Paris, Bois de Vincennes Hall de la Pinède Route de la Pyramide 75012 Paris Public transportation

Line 1 – Château de Vincennes station

RER A – station Vincennes

Lines 112 and 46

You will find all the details on the 2015 Paris Half Marathon on the official website: www.semideparis.com/fr/homepage.html

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RUNNING TO THE BEAT OF MUSIC,

PARIS-STYLE

ne of the many features which make the Spring Challenge special is the music filling the streets and avenues of eastern Paris to celebrate the joy of running throughout the 21.1 km course.

Over 40 acts will line the course on March 8, featuring brass bands, drums and rock bands to energise and cheer the 43,500 participants on.

Charities will join forces with musicians to put on a variety of colourful performances for runners. NGOs will include Action contre la Faim, Aide et Action, Fondation Akuo, Association Grégory Lemarchal, Fondation Premup, Institut Pasteur, Imagine For Margo, Les Emplaqués and Wings For Life. Chir'Leaders, the future dental surgeons of Paris Descartes, will be on the finish line to greet athletes who manage to complete the race. Cheerleading, an international sports discipline over a century old, combines spectacular, polished stunts with strong support for participants. A huge pop-rock concert with Troll Factory will cap the event. Check out the complete list of activities and their locations on our website: www.semideparis.com/, Route tab, Activities section.

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ADIDAS’ INTERVIEW

1) Your running range appeals to both occasional runners and experienced competitors. What do you think were the key technological advances of the previous decade, and what does the next one have in store?

Innovation is imprinted in our sports brand DNA. Adidas' leading position pushes it to strive to provide the best equipment on offer to starters, occasional runners and experienced competitors alike. We also want to make running easier, more fun and more exciting through product innovation, among other things. Launching the Boost™ technology together with BASF in 2013 was a leap forward. Our aim is to sell top-notch products and cater to runners' needs with cushioning technology which is both comfortable and dynamic. Another key innovation is sportswear connected to a watch (such as our Smart Run watch) or social networks to give running a "community feel".

2) Do you have any equipment tips for newbie runners taking part in the Paris Half Marathon?

They should be sanguine, push their limits and give it their all to achieve their objectives! In the sportswear department, we strongly advise them to go to specialised shops and talk to experts who will help them find the best material for them. The preparation phase is an opportunity for runners to find the products and, especially, the shoes they will be using on their 21 km adventure! Our Boost™ range includes a wide variety of shoes. Runners with a focus on performance should have a look at our adizero and supernova ranges, undoubtedly among our very best for this distance: light, dynamic and with good traction. 3) What developments does Adidas see as the key trends in running for the 2015 season?

2015 is a great year for running Adidas. The Boost Battle Run programme launched in 2014 has been a massive success. The project is based on community runs every month throughout Paris and has brought the brand closer to young runners. The aim is to connect running with the social networks and provide a full-package platform to all runners who want to have fun. With over 8,000 registered runners, the second season of Boost Battle Run 2015 promises loads of surprises! Adidas athletes will clearly be ten times as motivated in 2015 after Adidas runner Denis Kimetto smashed the marathon world record in 2014! Performance, innovation and a growing community feeling in running are the major trends in 2015! Contact : Valérie TAHAR – valerie.tahar@adidas.com

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VITTEL’S INTERVIEW

1) Running or drinking — why not both? What is the message you want to get across with your Paris Half Marathon partnership? VITTEL is the brand of mineral water traditionally linked to this sport. Vittel has supported this great race for five years now. Water is an essential element for half marathon runners. VITTEL has a long history of encouraging sportspersons in their activities and self-empowerment. Since 2014, VITTEL has got supporters involved by distributing fun flags with messages of encouragement for the runners on the half-marathon. This year, VITTEL wants to go a step further and motivate all people in France, including half-marathon enthusiasts, to get empowered. To this end VITTEL will be launching a crazy project on 28th February: a dedicated web site (vittelcouchconverter.com) will enable you to transform the fabric of your old couch into a pair of customised trainers. Why your old couch? Because on average people in France spend almost three hours per day sitting down and doing nothing. For VITTEL, a brand which has always helped its customers to maintain their vitality, the time has come to make a stand. The goal is clear: to give people in France the desire to get up and go! 2) A third of participants in the 2015 Half Marathon will be making their debut over the 21.1 km distance. What hydration tips can you give them? Runners who know how to hydrate themselves are runners who go far! Staying hydrated every day is important, especially when practising a sport which requires drinking before, during and after the physical effort. Drinking Vittel mineral water will keep you hydrated throughout the entire course and preserve your fitness! Vittel will hand out over 140,000 bottles along the course, at the three refreshment stands and at the finish. And don’t forget that after each refreshment point, sorting bins will be available for collection of the 100% recyclable VITTEL bottles, in order to give them a second life! See you on March 8 and train hard with your sports partner Vittel! Contact: Sarah SOLTANE, Sponsoring project director – sarah.soltane@waters.nestle.com

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OUR PARTNERS

Thank you to…

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MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS

At the Paris Half Marathon’s Village

During the Paris Half Marathon exhibition located at the Parc Floral (Bois de Vincennes Route de la Pyramide / 75012 Paris, France), a special press reception has been organised on:

Friday 28th February from 2pm to 6 pm Saturday 1st March from 11am to 6 pm

We will give you your accreditation there as well as a press bib.

Don’t forget to request accreditation beforehand on the website www.registering.aso.fr !

Discover all the necessary information about the accreditation procedure on the website’s media area (www.semideparis.com).

/!\ We remind you that this year once again, the organisation would like to reduce the number of

race vehicles, so no press motorbikes will be available to the media.

Moreover, personal motorbikes will not be allowed to drive on the route either.

When you collect your accreditation, you will be shown an alternative route so that you can move around more easily.

The press accreditation for the Paris Half Marathon will give you access to:

To the start zones and lines (avenue Daumesnil – esplanade du château de Vincennes) and finish zones and lines (road of la Pyramide – esplanade du Château de Vincennes)

To press information in the press bus at the finish line (road of la Pyramide – esplanade du Château de Vincennes)

News Access

If you would like to receive information about the news access, available on FTP at the end of the race, please contact Laetitia Briand

Agence Evenementielles laetitia@evenementielles.com 06 60 76 92 78