Barcelona 2016

so it'll be my first marathon, I'm very excited.

My training plan reckons I am aiming for 3.11, but i've only really kicked off in earnest last week.

I have 3 days in barca before the race and then I have tickets for barcelona v getafe in the evening.

Can you tell I'm about to pop with overexcitement?

Anyone else doing it? got any particualr advice for the course? or the city in general?

how many sleeps is it? way too many if you ask me

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  • my Barca experience 2015

    Barcelona Marathon Yesterday 15th March 2015

     

    I have often publicised on Thanet Road Runners Forum the disappointments of failed VLM  ballot places and the benefits of European City Marathons, so about six months ago I decided Barcelona was a City I wanted to add to my Athens, London, Rome Marathon Tourist list. Entry fee was 60 euro, British Airways approx £100 return and I can highly recommend The Apollo Hostel for only £16 a night.

     

    The Marathon expo, start and finish is at the huge roundabout called the "Placa De Espanya",

    which happens to be the first drop off point for the every 12 minutes Aero Bus service, airport to Barcelona a 15 min trip for 7 euro, I flew out from Gatwick at 0730 Saturday morning, it is a short 90 minute flight and by lunchtime I was in the huge Expo collecting my chip and bib, a very slick operation, I resisted some very shiny running gear that was guaranteed to shave hours off my finish time! instead went outside into the sunshine and milled about with the hundreds of multinational runners soaking up the atmosphere with Freddie Mercury singing  Queens Barcelona very loudly from the PA system, there was lots of people in a real Marathon party atmosphere, something we do not manage to replicate at VLM registration!  I then wandered down the paral lel (parralel lines?) leading off  "Placa De Espanya" which is also the finish straight and it is a long slight incline up the hill to finish!

    I found my Hostel behind the Apolo Teatre in the district  of Theatres, Tapas bars, Restaurants etc so well placed but the entrance was inconspicuous with a buzzer entrance system, a short walk up some dingy well worn marble staircase to the Hostel entrance.

    Once inside it was like the Tardis very spacious and spotlessly clean with a new fresh youthful décor, furnishings and young friendly staff who could not be more helpful and despite only booking for one night were quite happy for me to return and shower and change after the Marathon finish, the superb English speaking staff gave me the Magnetic card that allowed all access to required entrance and room doors and operated the room lights, a free use of room TV, Fridge, and Combination Safe (all this for £16) I also picked up an information leaflet on the open top "Tourista Bus" which I found from Rome last year is certainly the best way to View and listen to Guided City Tours.

    I didn’t bother with the free pasta party at the Expo and decided instead to visit Leonies Tapas bar opposite the Apolo theatre, a slice of Tortilla , a drink, Spaghetti and tomato bread for a very reasonable 17 euro. with the big day Tomorrow I was tucked up in my bed for 10.

     

    Marathon Day, bright sunshine a gentle cool breeze I walked the 2 kilometres up parallel lines towards "Placa De Espanya" consuming two GO bars (I hope they do what it ses on the tin!) washing them down with blue Lucosade (powerade?) vested and bibbed runners appearing from side streets and alleys, Hotels as we walked up the hill the numbers increased until we joined the throng of thousands at "Placa De Espanya" the atmosphere was now intense. a slick well controlled bag drop later and we funnelled into our starting pens the P A system was whipping the crowd up with the usual themes, Rocky eye of the tiger etc, and we set off  to Freddie's Barcelona again to high volume accompanied by cannon fired ticker tape confetti fired high over the runners! Awesome motivation and atmosphere. carried by the crowd of runners the early kilometres clicked by and soon the multiple drum bands, rock groups and friendly Barcelona public shouting rick,rick,rick  (must be Spanish for go faster! or I'm a legend in Spain!) carried us past Barcelona football

  • ground, now I'm no soccer fan but I know an impressive place of pilgrimage when I run past one!…that and the even more impressive buildings by Gaudi and the truly magnificent cathedral familia sagrada just blows you away on first sight. still the kilometres clicked by aided by the well staffed water, powersport drink and gel stations every five clicks, non of the aggressive looking pre race studied topography appeared! there was just some gentle inclines, nothing to break even my low pain threshold into walking and finally there it was, the 2 kilometre gentle climb up parallel lines to the magnificent marble and sandstone fountain in the middle of the Plaza Espanya, the end was in sight. I found it very much like running along the sea wall to Reculver, it never seems to get any closer! but a look at my watch told me a PB was on the cards, ignore the growing amount of people now electing to walk the final climb,  dig deep like Dora just keep swimming just keep swimming! around to the left past the huge twin columned venetian towers to the finish line and my reward of huge chunks of Spanish oranges and a jim'l fix it medal! (you probably will need to be over 50 to get that!)

    half an hour later I'm outside a tapas bar sipping a large cool san miguel beer shouting encouragement to the weary as they finish the last 500 metres, is there a better feeling?

     

    Where's Wally next?

     its probably Moscow (£11 entry) flight £88 rtn in September2015

    Rick Ryder visiting the Cities of the world on a budget and having a nice jog round!

    Big thank you to my major sponsor Anne Ryder and Pegwell bay Park Run committee for my Asics  Cumulus (Courtesy of SweatShop) which cushioned me home.

    footnote

    I never imagined when I stood on that parkrun start line four years ago new to running feeling very fat and fifty, I would have completed 4 fantastic city marathons before my 55th birthday, there is a whole world of fantastic people out there get out and run with them.

     

  • WardiWardi ✭✭✭

    As Rick says the Start/Finish & Expo are all in the same place so as long as your hotel is reasonably close the logistics are a doddle (compared to London!).  I stayed in the HCC Lugano on Avenue De Parallel which is about 500/600m from the finish.  When I collected my number my chip wasn't in the bag when I got back to the hotel so I just had to walk back up there and sort it out.  It all leads to a very stress free experience, walk to the start, race, walk from the finish to Hotel, hose down then go in search of an enormous Estrella.

    The only notable hill was the climb up to Nou Camp though this is early on in the race and not too bad really.  The last 2k are 'up' the Avenue De Parallel which is ever so slightly uphill, just a matter of grinding this out.

    I've done London loads of times, Berlin, Frankfurt, Dublin, York, but this is my favourite - already entered for 2016.

    Tip.. the Saturday breakfast run is fab, the last 4k of the 1992 Olympic marathon finishing inside the stadium.

  • thanks for the responses, I'm in a hotel a bit of a distance from the start but that should be manageable.

    could i grab any feedback on my training plan, I'm using gip.is

    it feels as if there is too much slow running in it, but having never done this before I couldn't cxomment

    http://gip.is/10109042/plan/

    are you able to see this? I think it is viewable

    thanks

  • I´m going to do this as well. Have been to Barcelona a couple of times during the summer months but never did the marathon. Staying in a hotel near The Ramblas which is close to a metro stop so shouldn´t be har to make it to the starting area on race day.

    Richard 2: I´m not familiar with that program but I think the design looks okay. Speed seems to be added later in the program. The only thing that seems to be a bit strange is the long runs. There seems to be four runs that goes over 30 km/18 miles and they are quite spread out. Two of them are 24,4 miles, which is nearby the full marathon distance, and supposed to take 3.30 to do. This sound a bit hard to me.

  • Thanks SS, I don't mind a plan that is too hard, I was worried it wasn't quite challenging enough.

     

    thanks for the feedback

  • Richard: As you may understand from my nick English is not my native language so I think I was a bit unclear. image What I meant with "hard" was that I think that there is a risk that the longest runs may do more damage than build up. The positions of the long runs in the program also look a bit unbalanced in my view, but once again, I´m not familiar with the plan and to be honest I´m not an expert either.image

  • don't worry SS, I understand, and you're input is appreciated thank you

  • Rick - thanks for sharing the report.

    I'm in for this one also. About 12 of us (all mates) heading out for it - should be great fun. 

    Going to follow the P&D 18 week plan - ran a 3.06 a week or so ago so hoping to break 3 for the first time. Look forward to hearing how people's training is going. 

  • Good luck. I did it in 2014 and saw footy in the evening (Barcelona won 7-0!). Really well organised event and as other posters say expo, start and finish all in the same place so logistics are really easy.



    The race didn't go well for me - it got really hot and I don't work well in heat (I know - what was I expecting).



    1 other point - you have to be so careful with pickpockets in Barcelona - they work in gangs and are very organised. Have one of those moneybelt things
  • Based on advice from this forum I had a quick look at changing my hotel to a closer to the start one, and keepers prices have gone up considerably since I booked

    almost double the price for a much less swanky hotel so sticking with my current one, maybe that might be area releated also but hey ho, no matter

  • WardiWardi ✭✭✭

    I got a double room for 4 nights @ £280 for a really nice hotel on the Avenue De Parallel mentioned in my previous post which is walking distance from the start/finish.

    I notice they are almost up to 10,000 entries.  Any ditherers please note that the entry price goes up beyond 10,000 so best to act now if you fancy it.

  • Hi 

    Ref to Barcenlona..not a fast runner myself but loved every minute of this race. Cried when crossed the finish line. Ran this last year.

    Please be careful on marathon day if using the tube to the race, my hubby had his lockets picked after the race on our way back to hotel....hard hitting and spoilt the dayimage'

    So it does exactly what it says on the go !!!

    I need inspiration for a spring marathon? Any ideas?

    Thanks x

  • I'm in for Barcelona too. I'm training for sub 4h but can't be certain of that as it'll be my first marathon. I managed 20k earlier tonight on the dreadmill!

    It'll be a flying visit for me -  landing Saturday morning and flying home Sunday evening after the race.

  • 20to12 thats my style too

     

    fly in, book in, sight seeing, eating, sleeping, running, celebrating. traveling....home!

     

    respect to anyone able to run 20k on a treadmill... train for sub 4 but be very satisfied with sub 4.30 i managed sub 1.50 half but have always slipped back 4.20 full marathons (probably because I'm 55 and still overweight!)

  • Less than 10 weeks to go and I've never felt so unprepared for a marathon. My original target of 3.10 has now become 3.15 which would still be a 2min PB so here's hoping. There's 10 of us from the club going and I can't wait to experience the buzz around Barcelona.

  • Glenn - plenty of time to go, I'm sure you can claw back those 5 minutes with a few more weeks hard training!

    We're also going out as a group of about 12 - absolutely can't wait, staying until the Tuesday afterwards as well.

    My last stab at sub 3 (although I've said that before..)

  • so that i'm clear, is the marathon expo the day before when i can pick up my race number and everything else? or does that need to be done the morning before the race?

    there's regular water along the route right?

    I've got into the annoying habit of needing a wee half way through my long runs, are there any loos on route?

    I assume headphones are not allowed?

    I'm excited but blimmin nervous

  • expo the day before, take some euros for a fantastic laser cut marathon hanger for your world marathons, that was the only thing that tempted me to part with my 28 euros i will put a link below, and also the red open bus top guided tour is essential pick up and drop off is right outside expo entrance again i will link below you will not be getting any bother wearing headphones bottom link aero bus.

    http://www.todotrofeo.com/product/14815/0/0/1/1/Medallero-I-am-marathon-runner-con-skyline-ciudades-del-mundo-en-acero-refMDL11.htm

    http://www.city-discovery.com/barcelona/tour.php?id=1829

    http://www.aerobusbcn.com/

  • yes there are toilets enroute

  • thankjs Rick, that is really useful info

  • I am doing Barcelona too.  It will be my 4th mara and I plan to simply enjoy it.  My last one was Berlin and it was an amazing party from start to finish (breakfast run was also really fun, ending at the Olympic stadium).  In Berlin I improved my time by 25 minutes.. there is so much to learn about pacing it right.

    Enjoy everyone, I will be going for 6 days (I've never been there, how lucky to have the time!). I'm staying with a friend, who lives 40 min away from the start...

  • All,

    We're organising a trip to Barcelona for the Marathon in March. Still a few places open if you wish to join

    https://mybreaktrip.co.uk/trip/view/runners-trip-to-barcelona-marathon-2016

     

  • Hi guys, what's is the signal like for GPS devices in Barcelona? I want to use my GPS watch to pace myself during the marathon, as I do in training, but they can regularly lose signal in built areas with high-rise buildings. 

  • Garmin 210 was faultless!

    the only problem with mine is it said 4 hours 20 instead of 2 hours 10 !

    (I can dream!)

  • Thanks Rick. Was thinking I'd have to follow one of the pacers otherwise.
  • I envy you the build up at the start and the pacers are superb and even if a pacer group slips past you will have done your best on the day under the conditions that present themselves, enjoy it, the only reason im not doing it again is i have my sights on  Alexander The Great Marathon (Thessaloniki Greece) Brighton, and MCM Washington, and maybe Istanbul...But i will be back its such a Beautiful city..

  • Quick question for those who ran last year - is the water etc. bottles or plastic cups?

  • A heads up for those of you who are interested in the Barca-Getafe game at the Nou Camp: The date and time has now been set to 4 pm on saturday 12th of march, ie the day before the race. I just bought my ticket. image

  • Hey guys - anyone give me some info on the water sitch (bottles or cups)?

    I was looking at the Barca game but thinking of giving it a miss now..

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