Mustapha Salmi rules the Gones at Run In Lyon

On Sunday, October 5, Lyon ran as one. From Vieux-Lyon to Confluence, from Parc de la Tête d’Or to the banks of the Saône, 33,000 runners took over the streets for a Run In Lyon by Harmonie Mutuelle more vibrant than ever. Beneath a mild, lightly overcast sky, the event’s 15th edition broke every record going, from participation and performances to pure emotion. The first starts came at 8:15 a.m., sending a tremor through the paving stones outside the former courthouse in the city of the Gones. The crowds were dense, joyful and ready to cheer anything that moved. For one extraordinary Sunday, Lyon became a giant playground.

The Salmi legacy and Jeanne Garreau’s rebirth

And it was a story of family and almost magical destiny that stole the show. Mustapha Salmi, a social media star with 250,000 followers across platforms and a PUMA ambassador, won the marathon in 2:23:24, 32 years after his father triumphed in the same race. The 25-year-old Rouen athlete, whose family hails from Blida in Algeria, pulled clear of Philippe Couvat (second in 2:25:03), strong from start to finish, and Léo Goudeau, who took bronze in 2:28:34. “Mus”, who shares his life as an athlete on Instagram and YouTube and founded his own nasal-strip brand, “Blazt”, is now a serious force over 42.195 km after focusing mainly on the 10K. Among the crowds and behind the Salmi rocket were thousands of everyday runners, Sunday athletes and a few local personalities, including tireless Yoann Stuck, who finished in 3:01:56, and Sébastien Michel, the mayor of Écully in the Lyon metropolitan area, who crossed the line in 3:28:35.

In the women’s race, Jeanne Garreau, a local favorite, delivered a brilliant performance. Not only did she collect the gold medal at the finish, she also smashed the course record by six minutes, lowering it to 2:43:34. A world-class time and a powerful statement from a Lyon native on home soil. “I felt as though the whole city was carrying me,” she said, still emotional after the finish. “The cheers along the river, the drums in Place Bellecour... I’ll never forget it.” Audrey Passot (2:50:29) and Léa Boyer (2:56:57) completed an all-French podium.

Julien Rabaca retains his half-marathon crown as Héloïse Laigle sets a record

In the half marathon, Julien Rabaca, already the winner in 2024, did it again. The Haute-Loire runner covered the 21.1 km in 1:04:34 to confirm his dominance. He finished ahead of Baptiste Jard (1:04:54) and Anatole Berthou (1:05:03). In the women’s race, Héloïse Laigle dominated in 1:12:24, taking nearly three minutes off the women’s record and leaving the rest of the field well behind. Her name now belongs in Run In Lyon history. More than four minutes back, Sarah Rouquier took second in 1:16:37, ahead of Charline Micoud (1:17:54).

Matis Boucard and Manon Gérard put speed first

The 10K, the ultimate mass-participation format, delivered another explosive show. Matis Boucard took the win in 30:38, holding off a packed field and a wall of spectators all along the course. Jeremy Dura (second in 30:45) and Elian Jacquin (third in 30:49) joined him on the podium. In the women’s race, Pauline Thomas claimed victory in 35:15, confirming her strong progress on the road, while Manon Gérard (35:57) and Margot Novel finished second and third.

By the numbers: when running becomes an act of solidarity

• 33,000 participants (record)

• 44% women

• 62% first-time runners

• €80,000 raised for charities

• €24,000 donated to ANTS

• 2 women’s records broken (marathon and half marathon)

A city as the backdrop, a crowd in the action

The Lyon course is almost a living postcard. From Fourvière watching over the city and the light on the Rhône to the finish in Place Bellecour, the route brushes against history and iconic landmarks. Every neighborhood played its part: brass bands, applause, entertainment... even the terraces were fully in race-day mode. For many, Run In Lyon has become an autumn ritual, as much a popular celebration as a sporting fixture. This edition, which drew 3,000 more participants than last year, reached the “maximum comfortable capacity”, according to the organizers.

Run In Lyon secured through 2028

Good news for fans: the adventure continues. The partnership between A.S.O. and Harmonie Mutuelle has been extended through 2028, with a clear goal: promoting long-term health and sport for everyone. Through its initiatives, the mutual insurer gets more than 700,000 people moving every year, making it a major force in sport and health in France. And if this edition’s slogan said it all: “When a whole city runs as one.”

The Run In Lyon by Harmonie Mutuelle will return on October 4, 2026, with the same energy, the same passion... and no doubt even more stories to tell. Pre-registration is already open for anyone who wants to write their own chapter between the Rhône and Saône.

When the final runners crossed the line in Place Bellecour, Lyon gradually fell quiet again. The bands packed away their brass instruments, the volunteers collected their cups, but the energy lingered in the air. It belonged to a city that, for one Sunday, ran as one, with its heart as much as its legs.

✔ All the results from the 2025 edition of Run In Lyon