Françoise Parage: a life centered around running
We interviewed Françoise Parage, better known as “Fran” or @franbambi on social media. In this interview, this 37-year-old mother opens up about her everyday life with her twin daughters, her work, and a whirlwind lifestyle centered around running.
| A life of a mother, runner, entrepreneur, and manager
This is how to define Fran: a mother, athlete, entrepreneur, and manager… A multitude of roles in a fast-paced life. After years working in corporate HR, specializing in work psychology, she has been self-employed for 6 years, working with several clients in the running world, including ASICS. Indeed, Fran is the Team Manager of the 40 French ambassadors for ASICS FrontRunner.
Apart from her professional career, she is also an athlete ranked among the top 25 marathon runners in France, with a marathon record of 2:40.
| An essential role at ASICS
Even though Fran works from her home in the Var, far from the ASICS teams, her role is crucial for the ASICS FrontRunner community. As a key intermediary, she manages all 40 ambassadors across France. They come from different backgrounds: a mixed team, road runners, trail runners… Her responsibilities mix communication, logistics, event management, and human relations… A role that requires a lot of organization and often a substantial mental load.
The year is marked by major events such as a spring gathering, the Paris Marathon, a training camp, a fall gathering, and especially the recruiting phase at the beginning of the year.
“I love running on pavement, in the mountains, through the forest, or on the track, but always for a long time rather than at high intensity.”
Françoise Parage
| LThe athlete’s life
For over 10 years, running has been essential and necessary in Fran’s life. It’s not easy to train in this whirlwind of life amidst travel, two almost 3-year-old daughters, a partner with a professional and personal life in Paris, and an intense work pace… The passion remains, almost insatiable in a daily life timed between daycare, meetings, children, and work. Finding balance is hard, rest is not always honored, and sleep is often sacrificed. Yet, Fran can’t help it; running is vital. Each year, at least two marathon bibs are pinned, with one aiming for true performance. A special love for the marathon distance, having completed 19 marathons to date. This Alsace-born, now Var resident says, “I love running on pavement, in the mountains, through the forest, or on the track, but always for a long time rather than at high intensity.” In July, she plans to pin her first trail race bib since her twin pregnancy. The plan: 63 kilometers in nature, with her phone on airplane mode and a desire to savor this moment of solitude.
✔ Thank you, Fran, for this exchange. Best of luck for the future, take good care of yourself.
