A breeze of love at the Valentine’s Day Race in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont!

The spirit of Valentine’s Day was alive and well on Saturday, February 15, during the 26th edition of the Front Runners of Paris race, set in the picturesque Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in France. Under a sky filled with excitement and camaraderie, over 1,200 runners adorned with smiles and positive vibes set off after a lively warm-up. Right beside the Rosa Bonheur guinguette, adorned with colorful flags, love and sharing reigned at the starting line, creating an atmosphere both sporty and warm.

A sporty, fun, and activist event

This race, held annually on the symbolic date of Valentine’s Day, is not just a sporting event. Combining sport, celebration, and activism against discrimination related to sexual orientation and gender identity, the event embodies strong values and celebrates inclusion, respect, and diversity. Discovered through posters in the metro or online searches, it has gained real success, especially thanks to its duo race. It stands out also for its rewarded categories: women, men, mixed, and non-binary. Thus, “you feel at home celebrating festivity and joy.” The OUTsiders association, represented by the OUT’Cheers, “kicks off the event with dancing and colorful encouragement.” Called upon each year to “warm up” the start of the race, they always return in “good spirits.”

Running solo or as a duo: Sharing and being together

Two distances were featured: a 10 km individual race composed of four 2.5 km loops and a 5 km duo race consisting of two loops. Runners without partners can join the 5 km “Cupid” race to meet their soulmates. Roxane and Kévin met just minutes before the start. The young runner waited anxiously for her partner to arrive, worried he might have backed out. Ultimately, everything went smoothly, and they adjusted well to each other. Similarly, Samuel and Guillaume, members of the same club who did not know each other, combined “running and meeting.” Samuel had to push himself to keep up with Guillaume’s pace, something he couldn’t have done alone. Many are already looking forward to next year: “after recovering from this one,” they will return.

Others were less about suspense… Nurse colleagues Clélia and Elodie, dressed as “angel and demon,” teamed up together. Leaving their spouses “at home,” they motivated each other throughout the course, a great opportunity to spend time together. Settled near a bench, Basile and Charles prepared for the individual 10 km, with Basile returning this time with his former supporter from last year. With its ups and downs, “it’s the perfect race” in his training ground. Cristiana and Pierre will be united in effort, “even if they have to walk, they will finish together” no matter what. Pierre and Nina came from the 93 district to cheer on their “favorite single.” They gifted him “a bib to find love after his breakup.”

Among these duos spotted, how can we not mention couples united in the freezing cold? Huddled for warmth, they are ready to live this experience in harmony. After their Valentine’s Day evening, Astrid and Pierre-Loup, regulars “running here” since they’re from the neighborhood, continued on. Married for nearly a year, Julie and Jean-Philippe sport shirts with their wedding photo printed on them. We can say without hesitation: this race is unquestionably the race of “lovers”.

A variety of eye-catching outfits!

As every year, people of all ages discovered crazy and completely offbeat costumes. The winners took the top spot for the second consecutive time with two pink shapes representing lips and huge inscriptions: “Muy bien” and “Muy lesbian,” honoring Barbara Butch, a DJ harshly criticized at the Olympic Games. Met upon their arrival, it was “the tortoise and the hare,” Sarah and Eliot respectively, who finished second with a “literary and funny” outfit, referencing their different paces: “No point in rushing” for the hare with its long strides, “start on time” according to the tortoise, who didn’t slack with its small steps. Coming in third were Fanny, coach and member of the Front Runners, accompanied by her partner Aurélie. Both wore a blue outfit marked with a fun and political message: “Happy Family.”

Volunteering and tons of volunteers

Spread throughout the course, at the refreshment station, or tasked with other activities of the day (brunch and the evening), 180 volunteers gathered for the occasion. Well wrapped in her coat, Élodie found a way to make up for her frustration. Volunteering this Saturday, she wanted to run with a friend, but they registered too late and missed the opportunity. Rodolphe and Owen, two members of the Front Runners association, also switched to the other side of the event. One found an alternative to his injury, the other decided to support the association, after having struggled for two years in the Parc’s “hills.”
“Running the project with a wonderful team, always with kindness,”.

Over 1,200 registrants: a guaranteed success

Jean-Yves Guilbaud, the organizer of this inter-association event for 2025, is delighted because for the past three years, the race has been fully booked well in advance. They now manage more a lack of spots and the enthusiasm it generates. Mélanie Perrin, president of the Front Runners of Paris, the running club advocating for LGBTQI+ rights “uncompromisingly,” explains that the race aims to provide visibility to this cause. Both are volunteers, investing their hearts: one enjoys “running the project with a wonderful team, always with kindness,” and the other is thrilled to contribute to the fight against LGBTQI+ discrimination because “it’s a battle that needs to be fought continuously.” The Front Runners is the perfect place to socialize as you are. The 19th district’s mayor, François Dagnaud, is also proud to “proudly carry a message of respect, freedom, and equality” through the values of this race.

A success and a great recognition for the “Valentine’s Day Commission,” which has been working voluntarily for six months, and without which, “this race wouldn’t exist.”