Specialist in cross-country and cross-country races such as the 10 km on the road where she was crowned French champion in 2017Mélanie Doutart will start for the first time on a marathona challenge she intends to take up within a month and a half in Germany.
A new motivating challenge
” It may be a bit tight to have a real preparation but I plan to line up on April 3 in Hanover. I have already run half-marathons in about 1h15, but a marathon will be a first for me. It will be a motivating new challenge, so hopefully it will!“
Hanover rather than Paris
And for this great first Mélanie Doutart (33 years old) chose Germany rather than the Paris marathon which will take place the same day. “Hanover is a course that will suit me better, it’s flatter, and therefore simpler for a first marathon. And then it’s not so bad to run it abroad, as my coach says: you will be watched less! (laughs). So I would have less pressure. But afterwards I would like to compete in the Paris marathon too.”
Since I’ve slowed down a bit in training I find I’m doing better sessions, I’m building up less fatigue and it seems to be paying off so far – Melanie Doutart
Pending priority to French cross-country championships mid-March in the Yvelines. Last Sunday, the Amiens athlete qualified by easily winning the regional title at Fourmies in the North (8070m / 32’21”). A victory which, even without much opposition in the absence of her AUC teammate Léa Plumecocq, proves that Mélanie Doutart, doctor in Cires-les-Mello in the Oise, has regained his feelings and the pleasure of running after two years weighed down by the Covid period, injuries and professional constraints. “My main flaw was wanting to do too much, I tried to do seven to eight training sessions a week, I didn’t recover very well and I wasn’t necessarily on top on competition day. I also chained wounds and states of misshapen. And since I slowed down a bit in training I find that I do better sessions, I accumulate less fatigue and it seems to be paying off for the moment.“
To the point of ambition a place in the Top 15 of the next French cross-country championships at Les Mureaux on March 13, and to extend outings for the Hanover marathon on April 3.