White vine marathon man: Athletes run past Medoc's vineyards, near Pauillac, on the 26-mile race in south-western France which features wine tastings, oysters, steak, cheese, grapes and ice cream
Friday, May 24th 2019
French marathon where runners eat cheese, steak and oysters and sip on glasses of the region's finest wines opens registration for a 35th year
Marathon du Medoc takes 8,500 runners through the picturesque vineyards of south-west France every year
During the race the runners will come across wine tastings, oysters, steak, cheese, grapes and ice cream
Registration has opened for the 35th successive race this September with runners paying €88 for a place
By TIM STICKINGS FOR MAILONLINE
A French marathon race in which runners stop for wine, cheese and oysters along the route has opened registration for its 35th successive year.
The Marathon du Medoc takes 8,500 runners through the picturesque vineyards of south-west France every year.
While it meets athletic standards in its 26.2-mile course, the Medoc race is more unusual in one of its other rules: every runner must be wearing fancy dress.
Competitors: A French runner wearing a crown crosses the finish line after 26 miles of the Marathon du Medoc (left) while a female runner in an extravagant costume runs past a vineyard (right) in the race on the banks of the Gironde River
Something extra: Runners enjoy wine at a chateau during a food and wine break in the Marathon du Medoc race. The two competitors at the front are wearing only one layer while the runners behind them are more extravagantly dressed
For the 2019 edition the chosen theme for fancy dress is 'super heroes'.
According to the official rules, the male and female winners will receive their weight in Medoc wine while a 'large number of nicely dressed runners' will also be rewarded with a supply of the beverage.
Organisers say the finish line will be closed after six hours and 30 minutes, which they say is 'long enough to enjoy the marathon even for a beginner'.
During the race the runners will come across wine tastings, oysters, steak, cheese, grapes and ice cream as well as musical performances.
After the race there are celebrations throughout the evening, with bands and local producers supplying more food and drink
Founded in 1985, the race takes its name from the Medoc wine-growing region, north of Bordeaux on France's Atlantic coast.
Picturesque: Athletes wearing fancy dress - one of them carrying a balloon marking the 30th edition of the race run past beautiful vineyards near Pauillac in the Marathon du Medoc, named after the wine-growing region where it takes place
View from above: Participants run past Chateau Pichon-Longueville and its vineyards by Pauillac during one of the races
Long way: Participants run past Chateau Pichon-Longueville and its vineyards by Pauillac as they take part in the annual race
Display: Runners in a variety of costumes - the front one apparently showing the Japanese flag on his headband - make their way past Chateau Lafite Rotschild during the 26-mile race
The route passes through celebrated estates such as Pauillac, St. Julien-Beychevelle and St. Estèphe, and past more than 50 chateaux.
The fastest time recorded at the 2018 edition of the race was just under two hours and 26 minutes, set by French athlete Denis Mayaud.
Runners pay €88 (£75) for a start number, with further costs if they take part in an extra dinner or a shorter, six-mile walk on the Sunday morning after the race.
Medical assistance is provided by 300 volunteers, working from 15 tents and five mobile units, catering for the runners' unusual dietary regime.
This year's race will take place on Saturday, September 7.
Top-up: Oysters, foie gras, cheese and ice cream are also available to runners as they slog around the route
Countryside: The route passes through celebrated estates such as Pauillac, St. Julien-Beychevelle and St. Estèphe, and past more than 50 chateaux
Corking: A runner stops for a sip of wine during near Pauillac during the 2014 event
After the race there are celebrations throughout the evening, with bands and local producers supplying more food and drin
Elaborate: Runners in costume move through the Medoc wine region during the Marathon Du Medoc race in September 2008
Celebration: A runner named David - wearing only his start number, a pair of shorts and and inflatable ring - holds a glass of red wine as spectators watch on and take pictures during the Marathon du Medoc
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