The Spinassienne draws a big, friendly crowd in Épinay-sur-Seine
© Emma Bert / MARATHONS.COMOn October 12, Épinay-sur-Seine in Seine-Saint-Denis came alive for the 15th edition of La Spinassienne. Beneath brilliant autumn sunshine, more than 1,000 seasoned runners and newcomers took on the half marathon, 10K or 3.8K. It was a morning built around performance, personal challenge and a strong sense of community.
It is still cool when the already sizable field finishes warming up without straying far from the start line. Some runners exchange a few words and laughs with family and friends, while others wear a more serious, focused expression. A few final strides, one last sip of water, jackets come off and the runners line up beneath the arch. Golden autumn sunlight brushes the arch and sets the trees along Rue du Parc Municipal des Sports aglow. In the dew-scented air, their breath forms little clouds of vapor, gilded by the rising sun. The chatter dies down. The tension is palpable. Then the starting gun sends the brave ones on their way and unleashes a roar from the spectators.
La Spinassienne organized by the town of Épinay-sur-Seine is an ideal way to gauge your fitness early in the season or line up for your first race. The courses are varied and fairly demanding, with 112 meters of elevation gain on the half marathon, mixing paved sections with stretches along the sandy banks of the Seine. Made up of several loops, the route lets spectators follow the action up close. In an even more unusual twist, it passes through a factory before finishing on the track.
A fierce battle on the half marathon
© Emma Bert / MARATHONS.COMThis year’s half marathon was especially competitive, much to the delight of the crowd and the organizers. More than 600 runners lined up for the race. A group of around ten broke clear during the opening stages. As the miles ticked by, only five remained in contention, sharing the work and eyeing the win. At halfway, one of the runners launched an attack. The lead group was cut to three, but the two chasers were only a few strides back.
By the 18K mark, the group of five had almost come back together. Louis Pires, who would ultimately take bronze, lifted the pace to drop the two chasers. Over the final two kilometers, Lahoucine Dazi and Mehdi Kadri raised the tempo again, opening a gap on the third-placed runner. It was in the final few hundred meters, as they entered the track, that the 2025 winner, Lahoucine Dazi, made his move to win in 1:09:16. « It wasn’t easy, with the turns, climbs and sandy stretches along the Seine. My competitors were very strong. I stayed behind and then accelerated over the final kilometer. »
Behind him, Mehdi Kadri (1:09:22) and Louis Pires (1:09:27) completed the podium within the same minute. « There were a few sharp climbs and six kilometers on a stony, uneven trail, which slowed us down. In the leading trio, we were in control and kept an eye on each other. We attacked in the closing stages, and it was enjoyable », said the runner-up, who clocked 1:04:40 over the distance in Boulogne in 2024. The Clermont native, in third, added: « I felt comfortable throughout, but struggled a little at the end. The places were decided as we entered the track, and it was hard to pass with those final surges. It was a really great race. »
Philippine Ruffin wins by a clear margin
© Emma Bert / MARATHONS.COMIn the women’s race, 800m specialist Philippine Ruffin was in a class of her own and never had to fight for the win. The owner of a 2:13.10 personal best for two laps of the track, set in 2024, she comfortably won in 1:24:28 on her first attempt at the distance. Her closest challengers were Alicia Clauwaert (1:26:43) and Hildegarde Lambert (1:27:44).
The women went out a little fast. We stayed together for two or three kilometers, then I went off the front and kept going. I was aiming for 1:24, setting out at roughly 40-minute 10K pace, and I felt good. I tucked into a few groups and stayed with one male runner for quite a while, which helped me a lot. The course was really enjoyable, with plenty of spectators and sunshine. I loved it.
A more open 10K and 3.8K
In the 10K, Yoahn Tchicaya took the win in 31:49, ahead of Nicolas Chemel (33:20) and Benjamin Galisson (34:35). In the women’s race, Lauriane Tanguy (40:58) was fastest, ahead of Virginie Durand (42:51) and Mathilde Bernard (48:33). The winner, who had not raced a 10K since 2019, summed up the event as « a little Sunday-morning race to enjoy yourself, with sunshine, friends and a pleasant, varied course. »
Over 3.8K, Jules Desmond won in 12:54 on his third appearance. Paco Adjed (12:57) and Alexis Racher (13:30) joined him on the podium. « It was a fast course, and I improved on last year’s time. My teammate paced me all the way. It was a great battle », said the winner. The winning women’s team comprised Lilwen Poulain (17:01), Lou-Anne Boulben (17:12) and Joly Kawtar (17:52). Children’s races were also part of the day’s program, keeping the event open to everyone.
From hard-fought duels to personal breakthroughs, the roughly 1,000 participants in the 15th Spinassienne enjoyed a memorable Sunday morning. Moving through the town, along the Seine and across unusual sections including a factory and a track, the race was the perfect way to launch the 2025 autumn season in style.