Crossing the finish line in 3 hours and 27 minutes, 37-year-old Jean-François Bruel successfully realized his goal of breaking the 3:30 barrier at the New York City Marathon. The Montchanin native, an engineering manager at Le Boncoin, finished 6,341st in the race after running a course through Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx.
Bruel’s journey to the New York event began with solitary runs, eventually leading him to join the Montchanin running club. Over time, he refined his training and equipment, participating in various official races including the marathon of Grands Crus in Dijon, the Beaujolais marathon, and the Givry marathon. His performance progression—clocking 3:42, 3:31, and 3:33 respectively—fueled a friendly challenge with his friend Florian Pinault to finally break the 3:30 mark.
The experience in New York was preceded by a 1,700-kilometer trip across the eastern United States with his family, which included visits to Niagara Falls and Lake Ontario. While Bruel noted that the festive travel schedule was pas très propice à la performance
due to fatigue and minor ailments, the atmosphere of the race provided a significant boost.
The event morning featured a surprise reunion at the hotel with his friend Florian Pinault. Once the race began, Bruel started in the first wave, an assignment earned through his previous marathon times. Reflecting on the start of the race, he described the sensation of running on the double-decker Verrazano bridge, noting, au-dessus de nous résonnait la foulée des autres coureurs, incroyable comme sensation.
Throughout the course, Bruel relied on the support of his family—Amandine, Emmy, Enjy, and Tim—who cheered him on from the First and Fifth Avenues. La seconde fois, je les ai vus grâce à Amandine qui criait, j’étais dans le dur,
Bruel recounted regarding a difficult stretch of the race. As he entered Central Park, he found motivation in the spectators, stating, Le public nous portait.
Following his successful finish at the New York City Marathon, Bruel is already planning his next athletic endeavor. He and Pinault are scheduled to compete together in the Barcelona Marathon this coming March.
