Unite a great running challenge with visiting a city!
Follow me for 48 hours of sport, culture and foodie discoveries!
Before we begin, I just have to say I’m not a runner. I’m the coach, the mentor, the little donkey carrying snacks, extra clothing and a plastic poncho and taking the photos to create the memories. It’s become my job and I love it.
Mr CA is the runner. The one who gets up when it’s still dark three times a week to go for a run before the office; the one who runs with his group twice a week and returns late and hyper and can’t get to sleep because maybe in his head he’s still running.
I will tell his running story another time. For now, I imagine, you’ve set your sights on a half-marathon in Europe and want to take the next step. The following are our experiences of combining running and visiting a city.
BARCELONA HALF-MARATHON in February
The city: this is a place that really has a bit of everything from great shops, bars and restaurants to the atmospheric old Gothic quarter; top museums and quirky architecture. And there’s the beach too. And tons of palm trees. What’s not to love about this city?
Sleep: HOTEL LEONARDO BARCELONA LAS RAMBLAS at Carrer de la Junta de Comerç, 8. It’s in the heart of a busy aour room was quiet and we slept well the night before the race- essential. From there it’s about 25 minutes to walk to the start and finish point at the Arc de Triomf, a huge arch made of brick for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair.
Alternative: SOM NIT TRIOMF at Carrer de Trafalgar 39.
Simple rooms with private bathroom. Absolutely perfect location for the race as you are 5 minutes’ walk away to the start..
Breakfast with a view: at ELCORTE INGLÈS, Plaça Catalunya.
The day before the race. This top floor café has a generous view over the city. Try the potato tortilla with its little dish of fresh tomato sauce and crunchy slices of toast.
Visit: choose one of the many places designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí- either the Sagrada Familia church with its surreal colourful interior or Casa Batló in central Passeig de Gràcia 43.
Celebrate: at LA BALMESINA, in Carrer de Balmes 193, for the absolute best sourdough pizza outside of Naples. As recommended by my son who is a foodie obsessive.
Drink: Estrella Damm beer. The local beer to toast your success!
Runner’s comment: a beautiful course and lots of support from the crowds along the way.
Don’t forget to establish your meet up point at the end of the race.- if you’re not using. a Google Maps pin. Choose a precise location and nothing too optimistic like we did when we said “See you at the Arc de Triomf”, among 16k runners and their friends and families.
AMSTERDAM HALF-MARATHON in October
The city: stroll through Amsterdam and you have the beautiful reflections of the rich Dutch merchants’ houses on the waters of the canals, bridges and bikes; there’s a Museum District and enough arty things to do to keep you occupied more than a weekend. Autumn time is very pretty in Amsterdam when the leaves start to change colour.
Sleep: MAX BROWN HOTEL at Museum Square.. Friendly place in a traditional brick townhouse with a cool design inside.
Eat: fabulous and generous apple cake served with whipped cream at WINKEL 43 Noordermaarkt 43
Visit: Van Gogh Museum to learn about the life of the painter and see ‘The Potato Eaters’, the painting that set off artistic interest in humble subjects. There is also the HEINEKEN EXPERIENCE at Stadhouderskade 78 to learn about the history and production of this famous beer.
Eat: lunch at the THE PANCAKE BAKERY at Prinsengracht 191.
Celebrate: RESTAURANT ARGENTINO LUNA at Lindengracht 152.
Highly recommended for grilled meat and corn on the cob and empanadas.
Runner’s comment: fast and well-orgnanised race. The best thing was the father and son race. To finish a race by yourself must be so satisfying and overwhelming. To have your son race with you must take those feelings to another level. So many emotions. Isn’t that lovely?
Don’t forget: to buy a snack if you’ve got the last flight back home and it gets delayed and the only shop open at the airport sells just souvenirs and minty sweets…
Van Gogh Museum
LJUBLJANA HALF-MARATHON in October
The city: You can drive here from Vicenza under 4 hours on quiet, modern motorway with green valleys and pretty churches on either side. The magic continues in Ljubljana, its one of our favourite cities and we always feel relaxed when we come here. It’s a green city. In the evening there is practically no street lighting. Just the candles in the bars lighting your way. The river bank in the pedestrianised centre is lined with one cool bar after another.
Sleep: BEST WESTERN PREMIER SLON HOTEL at Slovenska Cesta in the centre. Big comfortable beds and a pillow menu. They even have a small spa with sauna and steam room and loungers where you can relax and drink hot fruit teas.
Visit: walk up to the CASTLE. Around late afternoon/twilight is nice when it’s lit up; the ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM is really worth a visit. Eat: BALTHAZAR bar along the river bank in the centre for a pre-run meal of tagliata (sliced grilled steak), rucola. You can even eat outside because there are heaters under the table and they give you a cosy blanket too.
Celebrate: at CÎAD, traditional Slovenian restaurant just outside the city in a leafy setting. Order the mixed grill, the beans and a salad. The portions are generous, don’t let them boss you into ordering anything more than what you want.
Runner’s comment: well-organised race, lots of support from the crowds and a generous goodie bag with a commemorative shirt and even a rucksack included. The start and finish is at Tivoli Park in the centre so it’s easy to meet up after the race.
Don’t forget: to use the power of suggestion to help get the results you want. Mr CA reluctantly chanted five times the mantra: One hour forty. And guess what his PB was…1h40m minutes. It worked!
PRAGUE HALF-MARATHON in April
The city: a mix of old and new architecture styles side by side and an evocative historical centre with cobbled streets and pointed church steeples.
Sleep: CATHEDRAL PRAGUE APARTMENTS
2 minutes from the main square and tucked away behind an old wooden door. Despite the name it’s really a room with an en-suite. There’s also a restaurant onsite.
Eat: goulash soup served in a bowl of bread, which you can eat afterwards.
Visit: our time was limited so we walked as far as CHARLES BRIDGE and returned to the city to spend some time in a wine bar.
Celebrate: have a beer at STRAHOV MONASTERY BREWERY after walking over Charles Bridge and up to the Castle hill area on the other side of the river.
Breakfast with a view: GRAND HOTEL PRAHA open to non guests so you can have a delicious breakfast while gazing at the astronomical clock.
Don’t forget: check the weather in your destination city and pack accordingly. When we were there it was bitterly cold and it even began to snow at one point. More recently I read that the race day was too warm! So check ahead.
VIENNA HALF-MARATHON in April
The city: an expensive city but very clean, with excellent public transport. It has grandiose buildings from the time of the Habsburg Empire and then some more edgy areas with cafés that lend themselves to hanging out and discussing heavy themes.
Sleep: we economised as best we could and stayed at the hostel and hotel a&o WIEN STADTHALLE. The room was small with a lovely view towards a neoclassical building and some trees and the buffet breakfast was varied and nourishing for a runner’s breakfast.
Visit: ALBERTINA MODERN at Albertinaplatz 1 for provocative temporary exhibitions. Entry was free of charge if you took a newspaper that was being handed out. OK…
Enjoy: VIENNA PREMIUM ORCHESTRA at Palais Palffy, Josefsplatz 6
Evening of music and dance.. The musicians, singers and dancers were so talented and so joyful. They played the favourites like Strauss’ Blue Danube Emperor Waltz Radestsky March. The venue is a small theatre. Going there is like a trip back in time.
Eat: Coffee and strudel, (typical dessert made with fine layers of pastry with an apple filling) in a traditional old café with panelled wood walls, newspapers and a general air of another world and another time.
Celebrate: at ZUM MOGHULHOF Burggasse 12.
An excellent Indian restaurant, clean and beautifully decorated.
Runner’s comment: an expensive race to enter and no commemorative running shirt included. Another drawback is having to travel out to get to the start. Otherwise, well-organised race and great atmosphere at the finish. Dont’ forget: to appreciate that Vienna might be expensive but the city air is pure and clean, the parks are lovey and there were musicians playing free of charge and I saw some incredible art for free.
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