SaintéVia

SaintéVia

SaintéVia is the only distance whose start is not one of the main race’s aid-station villages. It leaves from Mornant and follows the traces of the Roman aqueduct of the Gier — “2,000 years of history”, as the organiser puts it. Entry is capped at 1,000. The climbing is given as 650 m in the description and 630 m in the fact box; either way it is moderate for a SaintéLyon distance.

Two aid stations: Soucieu-en-Jarrest at km 15 and Chaponost at km 22. From there the course heads into Lyon, and the organiser’s courses close at 16:00. The GPX track is not yet published. It suits runners who want the night run into Lyon without the ridges of the Monts du Lyonnais, and who think an aqueduct is a good reason to pick a race.

Fifteen kilometres in the dark before the first aid station is a long wait for anyone following. With the runner’s Livebib link they see the position on the line, the distance and an estimated finish that keeps updating. If the phone loses signal, the position is carried forward along the course and marked as estimated. No app, no account — just a link the runner shares.