Running on empties

As I stuckmy nose deep into the glass of wine, I swirled it and sniffed deeply. Ah yes, unmistakable. I was getting sweat, blisters, definitely lactic acid, and, yes, I think some tears as well. But then it's not every day you run a 26.2- mile marathon where wine is given out every two kilometres, along with steak and oysters on the home stretch.

This was the Marathon du Médoc, an hour north of Bordeaux in France, in the land of our neighbours with the "you surely don't think you're going to tell me what to do?" approach to life which we Brits simultaneously abhor and admire. If monsieur wants to run 26 miles while drinking wine, monsieur most certainly will.

To be fair, many of the 8,000 runners take the event, first run in 1985, very seriously and are more interested in water stops than the chance to sample a cheeky late harvest red. Plus, everyone has to provide an authenticated doctor's certificate when entering, and there are 10 medical tents along the course and more at the end.

A significant proportion of those taking part, in what must be one of the world's most scenic marathons, aren't going to miss out on the offerings liberally doled out from the 53 vineyards en route, including Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild and Latour. The male and female winners don't receive cash for their hard work; instead they get their bodyweight in wine. Well, it was enough to make me start training around my local park in north London, where young chavs can regularly be found tucking into Ch‚teau Strongbow.

A three-day festival surrounds the race, based in the small town of Pauillac, on the banks of the Gironde river. Its main claim to fame is as the place where the wings for Airbus aircraft arrive by ship from Britain, to be transported on to the main factory near Toulouse. It has a quintessentially Gallic air, and there are pleasant restaurants by the quayside, but even on this, its busiest weekend of the year, it seemed very sleepy, the kind of one-horse town where you suspected Dobbin had been served up with frites and a béarnaise sauce long ago.

The day of the marathon dawned fresh, with showery clouds providing welcome relief as we lined up. Bands played, crowds cheered, acrobats suspended overhead from cranes twirled and pranced in mid-air. Then we were off, an elbow-jostling mass with everyone from Jesus Christ (complete with cross) to Smurfs and the more focused in their Lycra heading out of town.

Running right through the vineyards with bands playing by the roadside was exhilarating and there was a good sense of camaraderie. I decided to get a few kilometres under my belt before I stopped, in case I never got going again. Unfortunately, Ch‚teau Latour at kilometre 5 wasn't giving out samples, so I paused for a glug around kilometre 10 at the Ch‚teau Beychevelle, and then at Ch‚teau Gruaud-Larose, erm, and Ch‚teau Lagrange.

A pattern of run-glug-run-slurp-run was developing. Not huge glasses, you understand, just restorative sips of red to open up the blood vessels - "wine is the healthiest and most hygienic of drinks", as I was rightly reminded. I ran-walked-ran the last third of the race, just to appreciate the fine scenery, you understand, and enjoy the fresh air in this lovely part of the country.

I had a quick gargle at Ch‚teau Lafite Rothschild (kilometre 25) and a few more as we completed the northern portion of the race, and headed back towards Pauillac. After a respectableish five hours I crossed the line - mature and full-bodied, but definitely one to lay down for a while.

WAY TO GO

Will Hide flew to Bordeaux with FlyBe (0871 7000535, www.flybe.com), returns from Southampton airport (one hour by direct train from Waterloo) from £130.
He stayed at La MarronniËre, a B&B in St-Laurent-MÈdoc chosen from Bed and Breakfast France, 2007, published by Thomas Cook, £14.99. The guide lists around 750 of France's most welcoming B&Bs, from Parisian apartments to fishing cottages, farmhouses to ch‚teaux. Holiday Autos (0870 4000010, www.holidayautos.co.uk) has car hire from £74 for up to three days. This year's marathon takes place on Saturday 8 September and there are still places available. Call 00 33 5 56 59 17 20, www.marathondumedoc.com.