One of the first personal goals that I set for myself upon moving to New York was that I was going to run the (in)famous New York City Marathon. And I do mean run, not walk. Well, at least most of it. So I’ve been training to the best that my schedule allows me to – somehow being in a city only half of the week on a regular basis isn’t conducive to being a member of a training group – and have embraced a new passion for running.  

There is nothing in the world like the running culture in New York – you will always see people running outside in the city, from the crowded mid-town streets to the paths in the park, in the morning to the middle of the night, the weather always as an afterthought. Because of course, there’s an outfit for that. This is something that you would never see in Paris and I never saw in London either. Sometimes I think that running is a requirement for living in New York.

Training for the marathon has really opened my eyes to the drive and dedication long-distance running takes. My training has taken on the same aesthetic as my business philosophy: “Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Success is only achieved through continued hard-work, dedication and drive. The same can be said about the industry and our business in general.

So, in preparation for November, I decided to run my first official half-marathon in San Francisco, where we’re currently enjoying the success of Air France’s second Summer frequency and had the added benefit of being a respite of running in the humidity of the East Coast.

Success is found not only through dedicated, dynamic team-work, but also by setting clear, achievable goals. My two personal goals for the half-marathon were to finish within two and a half hours and to not have to stop and walk at any point. Both of which I achieved (2:16), and was happy doing so with Air France crew members! (You can watch a Runner’s World video about the half-marathon here).

Running the marathon in San Francisco was such an experience as its residents, both those running (in leather pants! Heels! Underwear!) and those watching (motorcycles, residents, flag wavers cheering ), made it an interesting experience. All this in addition, of course, to the natural topography of San Francisco that is both unique and unforgiving. I had thankfully been forewarned by friends that I should start off slow as the infamous hills of the city can take a toll. At the end though, I was able to reward myself with ice-cream from the delicious Humphry Slocombe before hopping on a plane back to New York where I proceeded to fall asleep for most of the flight.

San Francisco, you really are the best sister city of Paris. Hopefully, we’re returning the favor by providing some of the French touch to the skies. With 40% more space this October with the introduction of Premium Voyageur on the route!   

From my running mix (uptempo is mandatory), the song of the day:

La Roux – Bulletproof (Copycat Italo Remix)