Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Barcelona Marathon 2009
![[Deleted User]](https://wd.vanillicon.com/d202a98121ab1e81ad96d073dfd3ba11_100.png)
Is anyone entering this or has anyone ran it before? thought i'd give it a go as it looks a beautiful course, any advice or insider info would be greatly appreciated.
not to sure how the trainings going to hold up over Christmas though! if only mountains of mince pies could be classed as suitable training food! 
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Did it before and yeah it's a nice course..
2 things
bitch of a hill around 10k - really steep! But persevere - it's steep but short!
Stay well hydrated - the heat was intense last year (or the year before? time goes by so fast I am gettin old!) there was puke on the road at some points even early in the race where it was too much for people..
In the evenings keep your hands on your wallet and firmly in your pockets. I'm not joking in any way. There are gangs of hookers who descend on men like locusts and pull at them while their swarm-mates go for any opening - pocket or whatever - for wallets etc..
Will be running this come1st March, this will be my first time so thanks for the info Chi Runner. I had been told of the pickpockets by a friend. I am not going out for a fast time as I am using this as a training run leading upto another Marathon in May.
Will be arriving 5 days prior to the start so will do a little sight seeing first, and try and get use to the heat.
thanks chi,
ive been warned about the pickpockets aswell, def have to keep an eye out for them! so was the heat really that bad? what temp? thats my main concern to be honest as i just dont handle running in the heat all that well, altough it does feel pretty tempting when your training ion the cold dark and wet most nights! would you actually recommend this race?
No Pain so there is at least one other person thinking of running this! infomation and interest seems a bit sketchy, was starting to think i was imagining this run! i ran Paris as my 1st one this year, thought i'd try somthing different this time around, altough Paris was pretty amazing! hows the training going?
Hi Darren
Just getting back into training after running the Dublin Marathon in October then getting a cold. Ran six mile today and felt a lot better.
What sort of time are you aiming for in Spain?
Hi,
how much did you get flights for? was looking at ryanair but apparantly there quiet a distance from barca centre? so how did Dublin go?
i did Paris in 3.29hrs with a mess up in my training so hoping to get within 3.00-3.15 this time around if all goes to plan. ran the great eastern half a couple of months ago in 1.28hrs, it was a pretty hot day aswell and it nearly killed me! thats my main concern, im pretty sure the heat in peterborough isnt a patch on Barcelona!
what about yourself?
I ran Dublin in 3:11 and will be using Barcelona as a trianing run for the Belfast Marathon in May, so the plan is 3:45 to 4 hours easy running.
I did my taper in April for the Belfast Marathon this year whilst on Holiday in Egypt and it was around 38 to 40 deg midday so I had to get up around 5am to run and it was still around 25 deg. You need to take on a lot of water I also use SIS go electrolyte when its hot. It should be around 16 to 22 deg in Barcelona come 1st March
I have booked this one for my first marathon after reading top ten in Spain and not getting a place in FLM. Looks like there is plenty to see on route and the inclines look to be in the first half of the run.
Would like to see a gradiant map of the route.
Hope to take it steady, to finish would be good for me or 4:00 to 4:15 if winter training goes to plan.
I did some 10k training runs this year abroad in temps 25 to 27deg C and with some hills as well.
Hi Road runner
1st of March i beleive, at least i hope so! have you had a look at the website? http://www.barcelonamarato.es/ pickpockets, as long as they cant get me when im running along in my shorts then i guess its just one of those things you have to endure, shame though.
Dog Runner, welcome, thats 3 of us now! think my plan of attack may be just to go out and enjoy it rather than get to concerned about the time, never really done any hot climate training, how did you find the 10k's?
Pain, thats an impressive time in Dublin, hopefully i can get close to that at some point next year! never used gels or electrolytes before, def worth thinking about though,what are the main benifits with the SIS?
DT2
3 that makes a crowd then ( that sounds a lot more) plus will be going with my coach (wife).
Do you know if we get our numbers and information in the post or on the day?
The 10ks were only the routes I took and measured on my garmin not races. It may not be hot when we run as the average temperature for the time year when I looked on a web site said 10 to 12 deg C and its an 8.30 am start i think.
I'm busy at work at the moment, so most of my exercise is at the weekends. Finding it hard to fit the miles in at this time of year so will have to make my running a bit more structured.
Hi Darren,
sorry I didn't see your reply till now. Yes I would recommend this mara - it's nice and scenic. The actual temp I can't remember but for people from our climate it was HOT! I would recommend just running it and not being too hung up on a time. Although you may surprise yourself - it was my mate's 1st and he did it in 4'15 which I thought was very good. Barca was a lovely place to spend the few days in too. Check out Gaudi (sp?) park and the Hard Rock Cafe is actually better than a lot of the restaurants aroud the area.
Welcome Dog runner and Old runner,
I am still getting back into training and have done only 24 miles this week.
Darren the SIS has replacement electolytes (Salts) and othe stuff in but tastes ok they replace the salts you lose from running in the heat.
Darren-Have you sorted your flights out and Hotel if not try easyjet.
No Pain- i only did 20 miles last week ,17 in one run.
Hello, I'm considering doing this one. Not long done Amsterdam in about 4:15. I take it looking at the graph that there are a couple of hills in the first half then it's flat in the second half untill the last few km? Is it steep that last bit? Hopefully won't be too hot either, I have been fortunate that the 3 mara's I have done have been in ideal conditions, usually between 10-14c. I like the fact it looks scenic and I've not been there yet and also with 9000 runners, it shouldn't be too crowded. Also, I need to do a marathon early in spring season so first week or two of March is good.
Looked into flights and easyjet look good for me. If I can't get away until Sat, they have very early flights from a couple of airports so I will have time to get there to pick up number.
Dog Runner slow build up for me up to 60 a week after Christmas, I will try to get 5 or 6 20 mile runs in befor a taper.
32 miles last week
8.59 so far this week.
Welcome Lil, only small lumps not much of a hill.
Hi Guys,
not booked flights/hotel yet, what have people found so far?
Dog where abouts do the easyjet flights fly in to?
NP think i'll def have to give the gels a try this time around, guessing its prob a good idea to test them during training?
LR do it! come and join our small but merry band!
finding it really hard to make the time for decent training at the moment, just dont seem to have time to get anything done at the moment! dread to think how the trainings going to suffer over the christmas period!
what races are you guys thinking of doing in the lead up to this?
Darren Flights to Barcelona and hotels are every where in the city. Only got a 10k race before Christmas no runs planed in the new year. Just running when weather permits.
No Pain 60 a week i'll be lucky to get up to 60 a month. I only did 13 last week and this week only cross trained and so far.
lil' Roadrunner I am going out there on the Saturday the Expo is open till 19.00 on the 28th feb, as long as there is no delays, will have time to collect bib and chip.
6 miles on the road yesterday 8 miles on the dreadmill at work today total for the week so far 22 miles.
Darren the gels are worth it I use them on my long runs as well.
Dog runner my plan is to use Barcelona as a training run, having said that if it is cool enought I might go for a time.
Also looking forward to a week of sight seeing
Hi All,
Yes entered Barcelona 3 weeks ago Flying from East Mids with Easy Jet , Booked 3 Nite package through Last Minute.
Away for 2 weeks at Christmas but will take kit have done the Last two Dubai Marathon which is fairly warm .
But Stockholm 2007 at 2pm start was my hottest!!!
Morning all,
getting up this morning was a severe test of resolve! ive not had a chance to get a decent run in for the past 2 weeks due to work commitments, 1st day off today, woke up at 7am & had to deal with the eterenal question......"do i stay in bed where im extremley cosy, or do i go out in the that dark,freezing cold & foggy weather!?" i finally dragged my sorry a*se out.....and thank god i did! felt great to get a good solid 10miles in, its amazing how difficult it is to convince yourself to get out there some days, yet within a couple of miles its the best feeling & your so gratefull you did!
what do you guys do to convince yourself to go out and keep it up on those days when it really is so much easier to stay inside in the warm!?
welcome saddler,i'll also be flying out from eastmidlands, what day you going out? Dubai!? yeah i'd imagine they were pretty warm ones!
6 mies on the road today avg 7:30 pace total for the week 37.8 miles. 10 miles tomorrow.
Darren I dont always feel like going out the door but after the first mile I am always glad that I did
if you put the work in now it should be better on the day.
Darren & No Pain - Very cold days I get up and just walk the Dog, If I do run and there is ice on the pavements I might go over the fields.
East midlands for me as well on saturday morning.
Only been out once this week made up of a 5 mile run 1/2 mile swim and then a 5 mile run back home. Worked today so will be going out for a run tomorrow.
Hi All,
Fly Sat am same flight as dog runner I would think.
I'm just trying to sort my leave out before I can book flights. I've got more left then I thought so I may fly on Wednesday and back the Monday after race. We have manning probs coming up so will have to sort those out and get leave confirmed first. If worse comes to worse there are flights on Sat and back Sun! I'd rather be there earlier, i flap when I'm nervous, lol!
Anyway, now it's December I've just realised I will have to start training for Barcelona in a few weeks if I want to do it! Doesn't feel that long since last one on 19th Oct!! I'll be doing my first long run with my xmas hair decs in, lol. No bells though. A few hours of those on my head won't be good.
I'm not going to feel guilty about those xmas treats though and a big dinner. If anyone asks I'm "carbo loading" hehe!!
Rest day yesterday, 5.45miles in the ice and snow this morning. Less miles this week as I will be running a 10k race at the weekend.
14 miles for the week so far.
Lil you not running on xmasday ????????
Lil i love the sound of that xmas morning run! i might just have to atempt it myself this year. carb loading on the xmas dinner also sounds pretty damned good, bring on the roast potatoes!
No Pain im suddenly feeling guilty for slacking! wheres the 10k?
got my intervals session tonight straight from work, which looks like its gonna be a whole lot of fun due to the fact that as im typing this there are some seriously ominous looking clouds heading this way! made even more difficult by the fact that im a speccy so a few drops of rain/snow on your glasses whilst road running at nightime and its like running whilst looking through a kaleidescope!
6 Miles on the treadmill today
.
Darren the 10k is in Belfast, I tried to post here last night but was blocked by the works system. I look like a running Christmas tree with all the flashing lights on when running on the roads at the moment.
10 miles today
......and it was by far the coldest 10 miles to date! 
that Barcelona sunshine sure does seem a long long way away! was making me chuckle to myself though that were going to spend the entire winter freezing our bits off training, then come race day we'll most likely spend the race thinking damn this hot weather!