Marie Bouchard, Florian Caro and a host of Breton athletes set for Liffré Christmas race on December 20

It’s official: Florian Caro, Marie Bouchard and a host of other elite athletes will line up for the Liffré Christmas race in Ille-et-Vilaine. The sporting, festive and charitable event will allow the town’s community grocery to collect food and hygiene products for the municipality’s most disadvantaged families at the end of the year, a time when generosity and giving back take centre stage. Taking part in one of the four races on the programme gives everyone the chance to do their bit by donating their favourite food item to the local food bank. 

A sell-out first edition

By November 8, 3,000 entries had already been recorded. Only a handful of bibs remained, and they were snapped up a few days later. Eight hundred runners have signed up for the 5K, which gets the adult programme under way at 5 p.m., while 300 will look to set a personal best in the fast 10K and 1,800 will take on the Ouest Boissons 10K at 6 p.m., for all sorts of reasons: to enjoy the occasion with family or friends, or simply to race hard without stepping up to the biggest distances.

“We had to cap the entries. I think the renewed enthusiasm for running meant the bibs went quickly, because we offered a race just before Christmas, when people are looking for ways to get together and do things as a family, says Leila Geneaux, who is running the event. Some people enter with four, five, six or even ten members of the same family, then come along together for the mass race. That really is the spirit of Christmas and of the race.” The atmosphere is guaranteed, with musicians and plenty of runners in costume. “ You can really feel that this is about spending time together, and that’s exactly what we want to create. It’s a real pleasure! ” adds the founder of the Apirun nutrition brand.

Around ten sub-30-minute runners expected

The elite 10K has attracted an impressive field, open to women capable of running under 45 minutes and men under 40. At 8 p.m., as the day draws to a close, they will have plenty of work to do if they want to take the win on Saturday evening. Among the entrants is a strong group of local athletes lining up for their final race of the year: Brest native Florian Caro, who has run 29:26 and finished as the second Frenchman at the 2025 Paris Marathon, Guillaume Ruel, European 50K and French 100K record-holder, Nicolas Vitré, 2025 French half-marathon runner-up, Thomas Laurent, French Elite duathlon champion with a 28:46 best, Maxime Perrineau, who recently became a father but still clocked 28:56 this season, 20-year-old Finistère triathlete Léo Conil, with a 29:14 best, Valentin Tortelier, who returned from the Ironman World Championship with an 11th-place finish on November 10, and Mathieu Hubert, 2024 Brittany marathon champion and a well-known local trail runner.

“The aim is for this competition to raise the stakes and bring a proper contest to the race, insists Leila Geneaux. With the cross-country season and the return of the 10Ks, it’s a pretty good window. They’re relatively available. I don’t know whether they’ll all go full gas, but they’ll be there. ”

A strong women’s field on the start line

Marie Lohéac-Bouchard will be the headline name in the women’s 10K. With a 32:49 best and an impressive cross-country record, she is one of the region’s leading athletes. For this inaugural race, the Iroise Athlé runner will be joined by her entire family. “ They’ll be in costume, and it’s also a chance for elite athletes to spend time with their families. One of her brothers lives in Saint-Malo as well ,” says the race organiser. Marie looks like the clear favourite for the top step of the podium, but the battle behind her could bring a few surprises. The field includes Marilyne Allain, a versatile local runner who competes from 3,000m to trail, with a 35:22 best, Gaëlle Le Gléau, of Lannion Athlétisme and Brittany 5K champion, with a 35:28 best, and Fatima Nogues, 2024 French Masters champion over 1,500m and 5,000m, with a 35:32 best. Local runners Solène Moisan of Stade Rennais Athlétisme, with a 36:26 best, and Ludivine Martel of Athlé Pays De Lorient, with a 36:42 best, will also be on the start line.

 With all our volunteers by our side, we want this to be a genuinely charitable race. So we suggested that the town organise a food collection among the runners. 

A certified course built for fast times

Even for a first edition, the organisers wanted to do things properly. The 10K course was measured by Didier Lucas, an international measurer accredited by World Athletics. “ We discussed the field limits with him and everything was approved. We want to test the course with this number of runners and see whether we can add more next year. Our goal this year is to be audited so that we can obtain a label next year ,” explains Leila Geneaux. The three-loop route gives spectators several chances to cheer the runners on and is relatively fast. “ I showed Florian Caro the course. He said it was good, without too many turns. We tried to make it as smooth as possible ,” she says.

This Christmas race promises to be an inspiring occasion, both for its charitable mission and for the quality of the field lining up in front of an attentive crowd. None of it would be possible without the 150 volunteers from local clubs, as well as pétanque players and cyclists, who will help keep the event running smoothly. APIRUNTOUR’s organisers are now entering the final stretch. The line-ups are set, and may the best runner win, in the race and in the celebrations.