Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Barcelona Marathon 2012
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
Ali, you should be a little more ambitious than just ducking under 3 although I can understand a cautious approach.
My training sounds a little like Yasunaga's. I've no idea of my fitness levels really as I've not done any races since last October and that was me pacing a mate to do 3:30 - that never happened as he had a bad day so it was just under 4 - I still got achey legs for my troubles.
I've completed the distances quite well but neglegted the speed stuff - not completely but not really enough. I'm off skiiing in just over a week so I may see if I can do a bit of fitness training there, I certainly won't be doing a long run.
It's a balancing act all the time this marathon training hence a Monday night long run.
I did the Barcelona marathon last year and I think it's the best one I've done, on balance. Wonderfully convenient baggage/start/end location, well-administered start pens (I turned up an hour before the start and could have left it another 40 minutes), a great course, and a big field without being crowded.
Practical tips would be:
- the pasta party is brilliant, and free. Go a bit later and there isn't even a queue. I nearly missed it because generally I loathe expos.
- the start pens are very well organised so there's no need to get their too early
- get a hotel over that way (e.g. near Sants station) and ask them if you can check out after the race; I was expecting to have to clean myself with baby wipes at the airport but ended up having a nice shower instead
- check the football schedule and go along if there's a match on - my one regret from last time.
fracture , have you entered this year ?
Ian that was a great time at wokingham ,you should have no probs going sub 3
Ali great time also how are the legs feeling now? This year, touch wood I only have a few niggles but taking it easy , hope I have done enough miles to get me through.
NMN like you say this marathon training is a juggling act trying to fit it in around work and family , not sure how people manage to train 60 miles plus a week ,
Pretty much fully recovered after the half on sat , ran 12 mon and 7 tonight with a couple of sessions on the turbo as well so quite pleased , looking at 20 -22 on friday night as going away the weekend so no time for a long one sat or sun .
I haven't entered this year, no. I've scaled back my running and mostly just amble around the park with my dog, although I'm entered for London again.
I also think it's a shame that Barcelona have shifted their date towards the end of March, which makes it more likely to be hot and makes it just another Easter marathon; the charm for me was a marathon soon after XC season when I was still fit. I assume they did this because the 2010 race nearly got snowed off, but it's a shame.
Hi all,
I'm new to the thread but thought it would be useful to find out what others are doing and give me some motivation to keep training. Hardest training week so far last week and I'm starting to feel the aches and pains.
Barcelona will be my first marathon, sounds like it's got good reviews.
I used to do a fair bit of running at uni and could comfortably go sub 1.20 for a half, but I've lost that speed and fitness. Hoping to go sub 3 but don't have much feedback from my training as to how likely that is. I've built up to 50 miles a week, did my first 20 mile run last weekend in at 7.40 min/mile and felt ok but not sure about speeding up and going further!
Sounds like a few of you are well on track for sub 3.
My main concern is that it will be too hot on the day, but it's a nice city and if I don't make sub 3 hopefully I can enjoy the experience.
Sounds like a good way to look at it LaGirafe - welcome by the way. Your training sounds spot on for sub 3, faster and further is a bit daunting but it all comes together on the day (hopefully!)
I meant to mention earlier that the pace setters last year were great but set off at the front. I was going 3 hour pace and didn't catch the 3:15 pacers until about 5k and then the 3 hour guys at about 7k. Once we caught them up they were spot on but don't worry if you can't see them to start with, keep your pace and you'll be with them in good time.
Welcome LaGirafe. If you can do 7.40 min/mile comfortably for 20 miles I think you're on course for a sub-3 (especially with your speed history). A good taper, the adrenalin of the day and others to run with will inevtiably knock a fair chunk off that time (as I'm sure you know from your uni-running days). For now I wouldn't run that much further (definitely no more than 23), but for one of your remaining long runs I would try to do a section of it (no more than 10 miles) at marathon pace, just so you get your body used to it.
Dean - thanks, my left calf's still giving me gip. I haven't run since Sunday but managed an hour on the stepper this morning and am on quite a bit of ibuprofen. I'm aiming to be fine for a long run on Saturday as I figure by this stage it's the long runs that are key - I never thought that with 4 weeks to go I'd only be doing 1 run a week!
NMN - that's good to know about the pacers. I remember not seeing the 3:30 pacer in Paris until around 10km! Do you know if the 3 hour guys factored in drinks breaks and were they aiming for a 1:30 split?
I have just realised a rather irritating fact - daylight saving begins in Spain on the morning of the 25th, so we lose an hour of sleep the night before the run!!
Would seem that most of the people posting on here are shooting for around the 3 hr mark
My only concern is like Tmap mentioned being a late march event there is a chance we could get a hot day , where as last year it was the 7th march , lets keep our fingers crossed.
I am going to keep training in winter gear to try and get used to running feeling warm
Ali
Take it easy now and your be lining up at the start , you have put the milage in
NMN - good to know about the pacers, I wasn't sure if there would be any so have been training with a garmin but running in a group will hopefully be easier - if I find them.
Ali - well spotted with the time change. My training plan for the next couple of weeks is almost exactly as you say, I might get up to 22 miles on my long runs, although happy with 20. I'm doing a half marathon 2 weeks before Barcelona and aiming to do that at marathon pace and add a few miles either side to take it up to about 18.
Just found this thread so thought I would join in! I did Barcelona in 2010 - just got out of Spain on the Monday afternoon before the snow grounded lots of flights.
I'm not expecting a great time this year as I'm now focusing more on triathlon, and I've had a knee niggle for a while which has reduced the amount of training I've been able to do (no runs which could be called "long" for a couple of months!). So I won't mind if it's a bit warm as I'll just take it a bit easier and enjoy the weather!
Like DanA, this is my favourite marathon (I've done about 15) for the reasons he mentioned. So if you've not done it before, you should have a great time.
Ali - good spot, will try to remember that when we arrive so I don't miss the start!
Morning all, just found this thread, having finally registered last week.. Looks like quite a speedy bunch taking part!
Got my penultimate long run out the way this morning - a comfortable 21 miles in 2hr 41min - so hopefully on course to get somewhere near 3h10m on the day...
Can't believe they scheduled it on the day the clocks go forward! Glad someone spotted that!
Have I read somewhere that they print your name on your number?
Welcome Padams and Jersey.
Padams - Great to hear another person say how much they enjoyed Barcelona - it slightly takes the pressure off when you know that it'll be an enjoyable event regardless of how well you do! Although I have a feeling that your 'taking it easy' will still see you over the finish line a good while ahead of the rest of us! I've seen that the course is uphill for the last 3.5km - is this anything to bear in mind or is it negligable?
Jersey - solid penultimate run. If it was very comfortable would you not keep the option open for a sub-3? I haven't heard that about the name/number, but would be a nice touch if they did. If they don't then I definitely think it's worth writing your name on.
Dean - good call with the winter gear. My hair is currently down below my nose, so thinking of having it all shaved off for the race.
Not a good weekend for me - tried going out on Saturday morning not having run once last week, did 4km in a very slow, painful 21 minutes with my calf refusing to loosen up and decided it wouldn't be worth carrying on. Did a couple of bikram yoga sessions, a 3hour bike ride yesterday and 1hour x-train this morning which hopefully will stop some of the unused fuel from my carb-loading permanently fixing itself to my stomach, but am pretty frustrated. Having a massage today but don't think there's much I can do other than continue with other exercise (stepper/cycling/x-train) and give it another shot this weekend.
Trust others have had more successful penultimate long runs than me?
Hi, I live in Barcelona and have done for 3 years and have done the last 2 Barcelona Marathons as training runs for London. I´m happy to answer any questions on the city or the race and will help if I can. I´m not running this year having been injured for 9 months, but am just about back running (9 miles on Sat this week)
3 hour pacers - I jogged behind then for the first 30k last year (one of them was pushing a buggy with a child in it) and they did not stop for breaks. I then did a bit of effort work and whilst the 3 hour pacers came in on time, they were not perfect paced and the 3:30 pacers had a nightmare.
The race has moved for a number of reasons, like the timing of the conferences in the city (Mobile world forum this week) and a number of other holidays/easter dates which mean the date has moved
Yes the last 2km are uphill, and yes it´s noticable, but it´s not like a real hill (Take a jog to the castle on the top of Mont Juic when you finish and you´ll see a real hill!)
Could it get hot? ummm yes. Yesterday was the half and it reached 19C and last year, the marathon made 19C as well. There is plenty of water though, but even yesterday, people were collapsing from dehydration
The course takes you past most sights (Camp Nou, Batillo, Milla, Sagrada, Torre Agbar, Las Ramblas, Cathedral) but is quiet from support from 32-37k, so steel yourselves
I´m not on RW regularly, but will look back in and try to answer any questions.
Dont know about anyone else but i am already starting to feel a bit nervy!!
Completed a good 32km yesterday at an overall pace of 4'40"/km. Was able to push to 4'20" for a good 10km. The only issue i found was the little i had left in me by the end. I put it down to a small breakfast and the bad sleep i had the night before.
Today feeling fine and raring to do my 5km recovery run.The left knee is timidly complaining but i'm confident it's no more than the natural pain after a long run.
AK, sorry to hear you couldnt do the long run as desired. I know that feeling and it's not nice. Although you're probably right in keeping your cardio levels going and burning off your carb load.
AK - think TJK has just about covered everything! I didn't notice the "hill" much - it's probably about 1-2% gradient and shouldn't slow you down more than a couple of secs per km.
Still not much running going on for me - did the National XC on Saturday but no long runs. So I'll just try to enjoy the run around Barca and have a nice weekend away. I'm almost hoping for it to be hot now!
Hi Ali,
Yes Edinburgh was my first marathon, didn't realise at the time how well I did in the heat, seeing really fit looking people pass out was really terrifying. Did Belfast last year and Barca planned. One a year is plenty for me.
I did an 11 on Sat early followed into Park Run for a speedy 5K finish, enjoyed it. Have a 22 planned for this Sat and that will be my longest run.
Feeling quite nervous, however I doubt Barca will reach 28- so should be better than Edin. Your cross training sounds pretty intense.
Tammy
This will be my first Marathon, Ran Numerous Half's I have a couple of questions that i was wondering if anyone could help with as Im starting to get slightly nervous
about certain arrangements.
Im basing the organisation on the Half's i have done and the way i received the info prior.1. Has anybody got race number or details for on the day organisation?
2. Any details about where you can store stuff on the day?
3. Can an ipod be used while running i know some courses dont allow?
Any help with these and other questions i may think would be greatly appreciated!
KM although I think there may have been some mile ones at 5m intervals. In any case you should plan around kms as it's better (more frequent feedback).
jmag
1. No, I don't think you get told your number etc. until you go to the Expo, and there will be a big list there (at least, there was in 2010).
2. There is bag storage right by the start/finish (at least, there was in 2010).
3. It will probably say you can't use an iPod (this is true for most races), but in virtually every race I've ever done you see some people wearing them. There's loads of support though, and you'll miss out on the atmosphere by wearing one.
And what Tmap said about kms. I prefer pacing to kms anyway as they are more frequent - as long as you've worked out your intended splits beforehand and don't have to do lots of difficult arithmetic!
1. Has anybody got race number or details for on the day organisation?
You go to the expo at Placa espana and as people have said, there is a big list and you find your number out then.
2. Any details about where you can store stuff on the day?
last year was in the same place as the expo and it was very well run (unlike nearly all other races I do in Barcelona)
There are posts every km, every 5 miles and at halfway
Some simple Spanish words for running
Perdon - Sorry/excuse me
Lo siento - Sorry/excuse me
Nesicito un medico - I need a doctor
Estas bien? - Are you ok?
And you will hear people cheering
Venga (sounds like "Benga" - You go
Vamos sounds like "bamos" - Lets go
Good details from The Jiffle King, I didn't see any of the landmarks as I was zoned out! I do remember the Venga Benga thing. My mate said about the cathedral afterwards, I never saw it, he said we ran next to it and you couldn't miss it - I did!
I slowed at the end last year, it was a combination of the small incline, tiredness and wanting to avoid cramp but I had a couple of minutes to play with so used them up. I don't think the hill was the main culprit for me slowing down though.
I do my penultimate long run tomorrow night, 20 or 22 if I can then I'm off skiing for a week. On Sunday 11th I'm going to do 22 miles of the Blackpool Marathon with a mate who is hoping to get under 3:30 - should be a good training run for me. I will then taper - sort of, I'll just not do anymore long runs but still do a full week of running, the final week I'll do pretty much nothing. I'll try not to get pi$$ed on the Friday night before this time as well......not the best preparation.
Just had notification of a flight change. Flight back has been moved from 18:15 to 14:15!
Balls.
Should be OK but what a pain.
"My mate said about the cathedral afterwards, I never saw it, he said we ran next to it and you couldn't miss it - I did!"
Its about 38km (from memory), but it´s right outside a drinks station (normally sports drink station, and you do need to look to the right!
Yup, good advice Jiffle.
NMN - sounds like a solid preparation routine you've got there! Well if it's any consolation when i did Paris 4 years ago I didn't notice the Eiffel Tower. Bummer about your flights, but at least it's not 4 hours later.
Padams - Thanks for your advice (on other thread). Looks like I'll be joining you in the 'jogging round the course to just enjoy it'! Saw the physio this morning and my tibialis posterior is fully knackered. So no final long run for me - just going to take it easy and try to stretch the cr*p out of it.
That preparation before last year's run was so stupid but I got my sub 3 and PB. I certainly didn't plan on getting hammered, just got carried away! I remember getting back to the hotel and then getting up again in the early hours and went to the start line and then up the steps to the .....er......big building (Jiffle King, help!!). I got hardly any sleep that night because........if you want to avoid falling into the same trap as me don't read this......I read that it is not the night before the marathon that sleep is all that important but the night before that. I now have 2 shitty nights sleep before each Marathon because I think about how much I need to sleep! As it happened though, one night on the lash, followed by a whole day being hungover, followed by another terrible night and early start seemed to do the job. You won't find that in Paula's book, she's more a pasta and sleep kind of runner. I am happy to say though that despite my rather unusual preparation I didn't have to "go kirbside" at any part of the race.
Nmn great story about getting plastered 2 nights before , I had simular experences in the autumn just gone , I had 2 really good 10 mile races after friday night heavy sessions and hangovers on the sat.
But at this stage not planning a repeat in Barca.
Talking about drinking does any one fancy meeting up for a drink and a debrief afterwards?
Ali Sorry to hear about you injury , take it easy as the physio said, I am also giving my final 20 miler a miss this weekend on physios advise , have some heel pain due to tight achilles and as he said another 20 miler could cause a bigger problem , so I am going to run 14 instead .
Jiffle King Thanks for all the tips , good to have some local knowledge , any good bars , eats advice?
Any idea what the sports drinks are and is the water in bottles or cups ?