"Now I need 2:08 or 2:09": Jason Pointeau from Landes is running towards the summits of the marathon

The athlete, originally from Pouillon and a PE teacher in Parentis-en-Born, finished first Frenchman in the Paris Marathon on April 13. He intends to intensify his preparation to break the 2 hour 10 minute barrier in Valence in December.

His name probably doesn't mean much to you. But at 36 years old, Jason Pointeau finished first in the French marathon in the Paris Marathon in 2 hours 13 minutes, on April 13, 2025. And in ^15th place in the general classification. This Landais, licensed with Entente Bassin Athlétisme, in Gujan-Mestras (Gironde), a physical education and sports teacher at the Parentis-en-Born high school, is today one of the ten best marathon runners in France.

In 2024, he completed the 42.195 kilometers of Valencia in 2 hours 10 minutes 35 seconds. This year, in December, he is preparing to return to "la terreta" to go all in in the hope of breaking that 2 hours 10 minutes barrier. "Now I need 2 hours 08 minutes or 2 hours 09 minutes. I would rather give up than finish in 2 hours 13 minutes." Such a performance could – finally – allow him to catch the eye of sponsors. "It's now or never," confides Jason, who is preparing to invest more in this project from September.

The thirty-year-old started running a marathon a little over two years ago. "It's a thankless challenge. The preparation is long, and if you mess up on the day, there's no way to catch up." As a child, he started athletics at the age of 6, near Pouillon. He quickly headed to Dax. "There was no other sport that interested me until I discovered rugby as a cadet," he recalls.

Initially, Jason focused on sprinting: 100, 200, then 400 meters. "The 400 meters didn't appeal to me. I didn't see it as sprinting." His coach at the time saw potential when Jason achieved training times that placed him in the top 10 French athletes at his age. But he ended up stopping athletics when he entered the Bordeaux faculty of Physical and Sports Science and Technology (STAPS). "I discovered partying and rugby. It was no longer compatible." The young man ended up playing with the Peyrehorade club in Federal 2.

So he's looking to "build up" and starts weight training. "Today, he's a muscular runner, unlike some athletes who are really bags of bones," says his brother, Jordan, also a marathon runner. A size that could be detrimental to him. "Weight is the X factor in running. Once you start activating that lever, it's over. There's no going back," Jason continues. The desire to lose grams then becomes proportional to the desire to gain seconds.

As he got older, the athlete gradually moved towards road running, which was "more practical" and "compatible with family life." In 2023, he completed his first marathon in Paris. He finished in 2 hours 22 minutes 15 seconds. "I got caught up in the game of timing. I realize that it's a good performance even though my preparation was far from it," smiles Jason. Before the race, his loved ones had warned him about the "wall" around the ^30th kilometer. "Finally, I managed to accelerate after the ^35th . I had 2 hours 20 minutes in my legs."

As the marathons progress, the athlete refines his preparations. "I'm not starting from scratch," he reassures. For twelve weeks, he completes twelve to thirteen outings per week, covering more than 200 kilometers. "To achieve a good time, you can't just do 80 kilometers. Your legs will be lacking on race day." Jason Pointeau is still looking to optimize this preparation, worthy of professionals. Just like weight training, altitude training can help you gain a few seconds on race day.

"Before going to Valencia, I did a three-week training camp in Font-Romeu." An experience during which the athlete discovered the "elite life." The program is simple: get up, train, eat, nap, train, and sleep. This rigor in training is also something the PE teacher tries to bring to his plate. Which isn't always easy. "For aperitifs, I'll refuse a beer and some sausage. My wife, a bon vivant, says to me: "It's a bit sad." The week of the race, the athlete also follows a Scandinavian diet for the first three days.

While his goal of breaking the 2 hour 10 minute barrier is clear, Jason Pointeau has already considered another discipline: the 100 kilometer road race. That's why, three weeks after his performance in Paris, he participated in the Marathon des Deux Rives. This time, he finished second, in 2 hours 14 minutes 9 seconds. "I wanted to see if my body was ready by doing two marathons very close together." The thirty-year-old is already aiming for the French record in this discipline.