Every long-distance runner will relate to the relief of a hydration station appearing in the distance. The trail they leave behind – a sea of thousands of discarded cups and bottles – is however less idyllic.
Litter-strewn courses are synonymous with marathons, but could that be about to change?
All eyes in the running world will be on the French capital this weekend as single-use cups and plastic bottles will not be available at the Paris Marathon on Sunday – the first time it has happened at a mass participation event.
Instead, runners will be required to carry their own hydration container – whether that’s a soft flask, collapsible cup, or hydration pack on their back – that they will be able to refill at water points along the course.
The decision has divided the road-running community, with some runners abandoning their personal best attempts and others celebrating the shift towards sustainability.
Organisers say the decision will not affect performance and this is the future of mass participation events.
BBC Sport understands representatives from the London, New York and Chicago marathons, which are all on a similar scale to Paris, will be on the ground to observe how the system works.
BBC Sport speaks to two runners taking part in Paris.
‘It’s going to impact my time’
Cari Brown is hooked on marathons and is preparing to compete in her 11th on Sunday.
After learning of the changes, she felt forced to abandon her plans to run a personal best in Paris and entered a different race to chase her goal.
“Unfortunately, it’s not going to be my goal marathon. Any runner who has to stop and start to get water, it’s going to affect your time and it’s going to affect your cadence,” Brown said.
