Each year the city of Barcelona swells with runners from all over the world who visit the city for the annual Barcelona Marathon (known locally as the Zurich Marató). Those planning on participating in this year´s marathon, which will be taking place on March 13th, 2016, should start thinking about registering soon and training, if they haven´t already. As of two months before the event date, there were already 15,000 registered participants. Over 17,000 runners are expected to participate. Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to line the route and cheer on the participants.
For those planning to brave the route themselves as well as for those who come to support a loved one, we recommend our fantastic Barcelona Marathon Apartments. For accommodations especially close to the start and finish line, please also take a look at our Apartments in Plaza Espanya.
History of the Marathon
The first Barcelona Marathon took place in 1978, in the coastal village of Mataró, about 15 km northeast of the Costa Brava. It was almost exactly the same course run during the Olympic Summer Games in 1992. In 2001 the marathon became a pure city marathon. However, in 2005 it was relocated to the area between Castelldefels, Gavá and Sitges due to a lack of approval from the city. In 2006 then cooperation between the city and the organization was finally worked out and the Barcelona Marathon could finally take place in Barcelona. In the year 2014, around 15,000 people reached the finish line. The winners were Ethiopian Abayu Getachew Girma (2:10:45) in the men´s category andKenyan Frashia Nyambura Waithaka (2:32:26) in the women´s category.
The Route
The race will begin at 08:30 at Avinguda de La Reina Maria Cristina. It will continue from there on a42.195 km circular route through the city, passing by some of the most famous landmarks, including the famous Camp Nou football stadium, Plaza Espanya, Sagrada Familia, Torre Agbar, Torres Mapfre,Arc de Triomf, Plaza Catalunya and the Colom statue. Runners will start and finish in the leafy green hills of Montjuic in front of the Magic Fountain. The time limit for the race is 6 hours. The Marathon will cover all the different areas of Barcelona, allowing runners the perfect chance to get to know the city.
Two days before the race (the 11th and 12th of March), the Marató Expo will be taking place near the starting line.
How to register for Barcelona Marathon online:
To register online, you will need to visit the Official Barcelona Marathon Website and fill in your details. The website is available in Spanish, Catalan, English and French. Online registrations will close on March 7th, 2016.
The entry fee for the Barcelona Marathon is EUR 61.50 (until 10,000 runners), EUR 73.00 (from 10,000 to 17,000 runners) and EUR 84.00 (from 17,001 runners). Runners are advised to contact a charity of their choosing.
For those currently living in Barcelona, we suggest training all over the city. Check out our article onRunning in Barcelona.
How to cancel your registration:
If you are injured or ill prior to the race, you may claim 50% of your registration fee back, but to do this you must provide an official medical certificate to the organizers of the event. The certificate should be sent to:
Marato Barcelona 2016 – Cancellations
Gran Via 8 – 10, 6th Floor, Hospitalet de Llobregat
08902 Barcelona, España.
POPULAR TIP: The date of the Marathon can change due to weather conditions, so make sure you buy travel insurance for your cancellation or date change of airline tickets!
