Nîmes Urban Trail 2024: “hot” participants on the starting line

Devant la gare, sur les allées Feuchères, l'animateur Mario assure le show, ambiance les coureurs. Midi Libre – Jean-Michel Mart

Costumes, music and impeccable ola punctuated the start of the 15 km this Sunday morning. Atmosphere !

At the start of the 15 km, from 9:15 a.m., there were around 2,500 Nut runners setting off on the Feuchères aisles, in waves of 200 people every 4 minutes.

On stage, suffice to say that the host knows how to do it! In front of furious participants, Mario delivers jokes, gets the crowd dancing , to the sound of Partenaire Particular, Magic Systèm or Lykke Li.

Two minutes from the start of the third wave, the crowd of runners jump with both feet (and in rhythm!), chanting “I follow you, deep sea baby".  

Unicorns, SpongeBob and Cro-Magnon Men

Between the unicorn, Sponge Bob, and Cro-Magnon man disguises, 20-year-old Alice and her mother, both wearing diamond tiaras, look like princesses.

Wearing their sneakers, mother and daughter from Uzès are stamping their feet. While waiting to be able to run through bars, a nursing home and even a military barracks for the first time in their lives. And above all, the Arènes track!   "For sure, it will be nicer than the stairs last year", predicts the girl, who is participating in the Nut for the second time.

For his mother: " Just for the atmosphere, the Nut is worth a detour. Glitter on her cheeks, the fifty-year-old who is taking part in the race for the first time plans to share and have fun with her daughter today. "And under no circumstances look at the  stopwatch", she specifies.

Ricoune, Ola and "Vinkinguette"

A few minutes later, in the fourth wave, a giant ola starts. "Raise your arms, to show the people of the north how it should be done. Everyone who lives above Bollène, take a good look!', jokes the host. While the first notes of "A little balloon ricard" sound, the countdown begins.

Vikinguette, 18 years old, stops dancing abruptly, readjusts her pink bib, stares at the horizon. 3,2,1, go! The three gladiators in front of the starting line move aside. The approximately 200 runners set off on the route. Full throttle!

For its tenth anniversary edition next year, there is no doubt, given the excitement, that the Nîmes urban trail will exceed 10,000 participants . At ease.