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Marató Barcelona, Barcelona Marathon 2008/2009
On March 2, 2008, all adventure-seeking runners had the opportunity for a spectacular
cruise through a beautiful city, as this is the date for the Barcelona Marathon
– or Marató Barcelona to be precise. The marathon has existed since 1978, and also
features 5 and 10 km races, that share their start line and course with the 42.195
km marathon. This magnificent city on the Mediterranean coast has a history that
goes back to the Roman Empire and was home to the world-famous architect, Antoni
Gaudi. Gaudi was originator of numerous spectacular buildings in his native city,
and the marathon course lets runners see several of these on their way through the
Catalonian streets. Some of the landmarks on the course are Camp Nou (home base
of FC Barcelona), Gaudi’s magnificent La Pedrera, his masterpiece Sagrada Familia
and the UNESCO-sight, Hospital de Sant Pau. The marathon starts and finishes below
the green hills of Montjuïc Park in front of the Magic Fountain, and some of the
42 km runs along the harbour, which may provide a welcome breeze in the sometimes
rather hot Spanish spring weather. The course is advertised to be flat, but it does
contain some inclines, which is not that steep, but in return pretty long. The hilly
parts are mostly situated in the beginning of the route, but the scenery, which
is practically packed with excellent sights, makes up for the relative toughness
of this part of the course. Not surprisingly, many foreigners take the opportunity
to visit Barcelona in the springtime and at the same time get an extensive tour
through the city at marathon speed. Usually, almost half of the 7,500 marathoners
were visitors to the country. The field of runners is relatively small which prevents
overcrowding in the streets and at water-stations. But the number of entrants is
increasing rapidly each year, so hurry up, if you want to be part of this event
while it is still rather exclusive.
For registration in Barcelona Marathon, please go to the
official website
Marató Barcelona - Marathon Barcelona Course
You can get a good view of the spectacular, scenic course through the streets of
Barcelona by clicking
here.
Please find more info and past results on the next page:
Barcelona Marathon Results and Information