The eDreams Half Marathon was first held in 2011 in Barcelona and has since grown in size and popularity. It is now one of the most important running events in Spain, and it attractions both professional runners and amateurs. The race typically attracts over 20,000 participants, making it a major event on the European running calendar.
If you register and run this race, you will have the joy of running next to fantastic attractions, run along the seaside and enjoy the smell of salty water, and then head into the heart of the city where you will see even more of the beauties the city has to offer. You can see a map showing the full route of the half-marathon below.
The race is taking place on a flat area, so you do not have to worry about the elevation of the race. There are also lots of people helping you keep the pace, meaning that you can follow a runner holding the pace to ensure that you get to the goal in less than 2 hours, and in the same way you have pacers helping you reach the goal within 80 minutes, 100 minutes, 115 minutes, and 120 minutes. What is your goal?
There are other running competitions in Barcelona besides the half-marathon. The most famous race in Barcelona is Barcelona Marathon (often referred to as Zurich Barcelona Marathon). This race takes place about one month after the half-marathon, and you can read more about it here.
eDreams Barcelona Half-Marathon 2026
- Date: February 15, 2026
- Location: Passeig Picasso (Google Maps)
Have you never ran a half-marathon before? How should you prepare? There are lots of things influencing how you should prepare for a half-marathon and how much time is needed. If you are currently overweight and find it hard walking to the nearby grocery store (500 meters), then you will definitely need more time to prepare compared to the local guy who plays football once a week and who is used to moving his body. The less used you are to exercising in general, the more time is needed.
But, a general advice is to start slowly. Go for a run and see how far you get, and then use that as your starting point. If you manage to run 3 kilometers right now at a low pace, get up and run 3 kilometers 3-4 times the first week. The next week, you might try to increase the distance (or the pace). And slowly, you will be able to increase the distance you are running to 10 kilometers, and then you are almost half-way to a half-marathon.
Do not forget that the main goal at first is to reach the finish line, not to end up as number one. In other words, run longer distances at a slower pace, and see how you are able to keep your legs going for hours… which eventually means you will run the half-marathon distance.
Of course, it is always wise to consult a coach or a professional athlete with experience who can help you out and also show you useful stretches that will help you avoid injuries. There are lots of runner communities both offline and online, so look around and find someone who can both help you and back you up along the way! And a last piece of advice… find someone to run with. It is much easier to prepare if you stand accountable to someone, and you have someone with whom you plan to run the actual half marathon in Barcelona.
Would you like to read about other things going on in Barcelona besides the half-marathon and the marathon? Look here to find out what’s going on in Barcelona.
