EVERY SEPTEMBER for the last 40 years, some 8,500 people have gathered in Pauillac, France, to feast on Arcachon oysters, entrecôte steaks, and fine Bordeaux wines…and to run 26.2 miles. Welcome to the Marathon des Châteaux du Médoc, an over-the-top trot through some of France’s most picturesque vineyards.
At 8 a.m., runners converge to stretch, warm up, and flaunt their costumes—the wackier, the better. The recent “Gastronomy” theme inspired garb from pizza hats to grape-like balloon bunches. This year, “La Mer” may bring crab claws and fish suits to the starting line.
Then, they’re off, to the roar of cheers and live brass band music, stampeding through Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Haut-Médoc. Forget energy bars: Roadside pick-me-ups include ice cream, local cheeses, and, bien sûr, wine (more than 20 top crus, all…