France, May 31 -- "There are around 13 million people in France who run, both men and women. And 63 percent of new runners - those who have been running for less than two years - are women," sports policy consultant Claire Rabes told RFI.
She was citing the latest figures from the UESC, the professional organisation for the sports and cycling industry in France, which also found that the proportion of women taking part in running events has risen from 28 percent to 37 percent over the past 10 years.
This year's Paris Marathon on 12 April attracted nearly 60,000 participants, 33 percent of whom were women - compared to 31 percent in 2025 and 25 percent in 2022.
Running is one of the most accessible forms of exercise, Rabes explains.
"Run...