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Barcelona Marathon 2014
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I think its really a case of doing it when you can - good thing about really early morning is that its over and done with and only 9-10am with the rest of the day left and running luchtimes was great as its someone elses time really! but i was pushing it with 16 mile lunchtime runs (2hrs) on some fridays
Agreed Wenty - needs must and all that.
I'm expecting that all my pre Barcelona long runs will be done with the head torch on for at least 80% of the run! The main disadvantage of this is if it is warm during a spring marathon, because my long runs would have been done when it is a LOT cooler I tend to struggle a bit and have overheated before (notably London - the only marathon I've said "never again" in/to!!). I guess that may be a possibility with Barcelona though!?
John - hopefully March should be OK for a spring marathon and I think that the average temperatures for the last few years have all been relatively ok (between 14-17c)
John, this was something i was worried about in Rome last year when they said they might move the marathon to the afternoon! Luckily they did not but I understand your fears. Should be ok march though for a morning marathon in Barcelona
Thanks for that Wenty. I'm used to running my local one, which is normally 5 degrees centigrade max, gales, heavy rain and hail - Barcelona will be a different experience and, hopefully, a very enjoyable one
Hi folks, just like to introduce myself and look forward to a few interesting chats in the coming dark winter months.
Barcelona will be my third marathon and first one overseas - so already really looking forward to it.
Took up running just over a year ago at the tender age of 52. Clocked 3hrs 52 in Edinburgh in May and 3 59 in Chester last weekend.
Vowed that Chester would be my last straight after the finish after a punishing last few miles - then two days later I sign up for Barcelona!
Crazy old fool.
Any advice on where to stay in Barcelona and how to get around etc etc will be greatly welcomed.
HI Roger. Welcome to the thread!
most people I know are looking around the start/finish (placa de espana) to stay. Booking.com have some great deals at the moment. Getting around on the metro is very easy and I'm planning to run a marathon soon with someone who has done Barcelona to pick their brains on where to stay/ what to see etc.
i ran the cologne half marathon today in a new pb of 1.47! Very happy with that and shows that my training is doing some good. Now - I need to see how Amsterdam goes next week!
how has everyone else's weekend gone?
Hi Roger, I also ran Chester (3:55) and also ran Barcelona last year 3:56), it's a fantastic course with amasing support all the way around the course.
Getting around is easy with a T10 metro ticket, you can buy from the airport train station for 10 euros and allows 10 trips on the metro, hence i wouldn't worry about trying to stop too close to the start / finish as the metro is easy to use and navigate (be careful of pick pockets). We stopped at Los Ramblas which was very very busy until the early hourse of the morning, so hardly slept the night before (it was also St Paddy's day)
Thinking of doing Barcelona again next March, just need to find some cheap flights
easy jet flights were about £35 each way for me pretty cheap - but accomodation was a bit more!
half marathon last sunday and amsterdam next sunday then a rest until feb next year
A belated congrats on the half marathon PB - good luck with Amsterdam!
Thanks for the info re the train metro P2 (nice one re Chester)
My 1st cross country race in 25+ years on Saturday followed by the Snowdonia marathon the week after - then a bit of chill out time run wise before starting on my Barcelona marathon training
Thanks for the welcome guys. Emmy are you some kind of marathon globetrotting freak - and if so can you pay for me to join you! Best of British in Amsterdam.
Philip thanks for the advice about the pick pockets, I had seen something on the box about them recently. And congratulations on your Chester time, I was on course for around that time until the last few miles.
Roger - Nah, I do everything on the cheap. Stay with friends/bunk up to reduce accommodation cost etc. It's just lucky that i live on the continent so travelling over here is a lot easier (and cheaper)... beside that - I have no other vices. Don't smoke, dont really drink etc.
How did you find Chester?
I think you'll find pickpockets in every major city. Las Ramblas is known for it but there are other pockets around the top tourist destinations so it's always advised to be on the watch out. I feel a lot safer in Barcelona than in Paris.
I agree with Emmy, Barcelona is a very friendly city and the support on marathon day is fantastic. If you're after cheap accommodation check out the hostels (they're much better than you'd imagine)
Chester was a nice course, not too much support when you're out of Chester but the run into Chester along the river Dee was great, weather was hot which caught me out on the day so didn't hit my target time but has inspired me to do better next time.
Best marathon in Europe. Three of my fastest four times in about 50 marathons were at Barca (best 2h45) in recent years.
Decided to go back again in 2014, despite having a GFA place in London a few weeks later. Won't be long until people catch on & this starts to sell out months in advance.
Nice one Dan. There are a couple from my club, who have GFA, who are gunning for 2.45 at Barcelona
Hi guys I'll be doing this one along with John Bach fingers crossed it's not to warm and we can trot along with that 2:45 pacer I keep hearing about
First things first Abingdon on Sunday then a couple of weeks off and gently ease back into marathon training
After bagging sub 2h45m at Abo Mr G I'm going to nominate you to drive the 2h45m train - somewhat apt given the nature of your job!?
Martin - I'm at Abo also on Sunday; won't be troubling the PB though. Will save that for Barca.
Just a word about the reliability of the 2.45 pacers at Barca though. When I followed them in 2010 until halfway, I felt they weren't going fast enough (we passed halfway in exactly 1.22.30, but I wanted a bit of a cushion). Stayed ahead of them all second half and naively assumed that if they didn't overtake me I'd be safely under. Bit of shock to see the clock counting down on my turn into the final straight and a sprint finish "only" got me 2.45.07. Pacers finished about 30 secs later.
In 2012, a friend co-incidentally finished in exactly the same time and said he never saw the pacers (they overtook me at 37k as I trailed in in 2.48
). This year, the 2.45 pacers didn't even finish.
ie, they are good to have, but don't rely 100% on them.
Emmy - Chester was fabulous, great scenery and brilliantly organised. I would recommend it to anyone and like Philip says it was a real scorcher of a day.
No tulips, canals and clogs for me on Sunday. I'm running the Great Brum Run - 13 miles round our beautiful, cultural, awe-inspiring second city! So instead of the odd windmill I will have to settle for the Bull Ring followed by a Balti.
I did 1 44 in Blackpool in March but I'll settle for breaking 1 50 as this I believe is somewhat tougher.
I think this is the case for every pacer. I've only met one group of pacers that did their job well and that was at Milton Keynes last year. They were experienced marathoners all running times well within their comfort zone. I ran Mittelrhein this year and the first group of pacers came in well under 5 minutes of their target time... the others... well - who knows.
In Berlin the 4hr pacer had to give up as he was throwing up en route and the 4hr 15 pacer was running 4hr 25.
Roger - Well done on completing it and thanks for the recommendation. I'm considering it as a group of forumites will be there next year. I've heard lots of good things about the great brum run so I hope you have a good day! I used to run a lot in Brum when a project was based in Solihull. A lot of my long runs were done around the Bourneville factory!
Dan A thanks for that. I'll more than likely be hanging on to John Bach's coat tails if past form is anything to go by. I'm hoping he's going to let me set the pace
What time are you going for at abo? Weather forecast isn't looking too pretty at the moment. Hopefully they are as wrong as they usually are!!!
IHmmm, not sure Mr G - if I can bag the kind of training I did for the Blackpool marathon this year I'll be happy/more confident. Unlike Blackpool I won't be racing Barcelona (clocking 1h19m at half way) - Barcelona will be all about knocking out the miles at a consistent (and, hopefully, comfortable) pace (for the 1st 20miles at least!) and taking in the sights
Hi all,
I've entered, accom and flights booked. BA worked out cheaper than EasyJet for a long weekend(fri to tues). Currently trying to get over a calf injury( started 3 weeks before Berlin, caused problems race day from 20 miles onwards). Looking at plans but probably P&D.
Entry is still 61.50 Euros according to the website which mean fewer than 10,000 entered still - does this race normally sell out? Knowing Barcelona pretty well the course must be pretty flat - ie fast, but guess the temperatures could be just a smidgen too high - 12C is prob my fav temp
Tempted.... more by the post race Tapas and Estrella Dam!
I appear to have entered this and booked flights and hotel. Now, how do I let my hubby know?
Keggy - Welcome to the thread. I always find: Honey... you know how you've always wanted to see: Paris/Barcelona/Milton Keynes.... and then go from there ;-)
What about booking him in with his friends and say: you have a lads weekend and i'll run the marathon?
oh no, I'm definitely not inviting his friends! I think I may just leave it until the credit card statement comes in and if he notices, I might try and get away with it being a romantic weekend away (with a bit of running thrown in!)
Keggy - I mean - you plan for him to be with friends that weekend
Hi all, I've just entered & can confirm it's still at the 61.5 euro mark. This will be my 2nd marathon (did Vienna in 2011 in 3:38). Aiming to go under 3:30, possibly 3:25m. I should have gone under 3:30 in Vienna but I hit the wall at 20 miles quite spectacularly!
Am going to go for a different training regime this time. For Vienna I had a 6 day a week running programme and TBH it knackered me out too much, I got injured and it became less enjoyable. Going to do a 3 day a week runnning programme, with cycling and swimming on the other days, which I've been doing for a while now anyway, just will pick up the running a bit, so hopefully my running will end up better as a result
Hi Matt - welcome! 6 days does sound a little excessive. Which 3 day a week plan have you found? what does it consist of? runs at MP?