Barcelona Marathon: Elevation Profile, Course Map & Pace Calculator
Run since 1978 through Barcelona's grid streets and seaside promenades. The loop starts and finishes near Plaça d'Espanya at the foot of Montjuïc, threads the Eixample past the Sagrada Família and Camp Nou, then opens onto the Diagonal and the seafront. About 280 m of ascent spread evenly. Cool, dry weather and a deep elite field.
The Barcelona Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change — rated 2/5 on our difficulty scale. Over the official 42.195 km (26.2 mi) the course gains about 350 ft (110 m) and loses 390 ft (120 m), with roughly level start to finish. Grade-adjusted pace says the toughest stretch arrives at kilometre 1 (near mile 0.5), demanding about 4% more effort than the same distance on flat ground. The steepest pitch on course reaches 4.0%.
Course stats
| Distance | 26.2 mi (42.195 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Barcelona, Spain |
| Total ascent | 350 ft (110 m) |
| Total descent | 390 ft (120 m) |
| Net elevation | -39 ft (-12 m) |
| Steepest grade | 4.0% |
| Difficulty | 2/5 |
| Field size | ≈28,000 runners |
| Race day | Mid-March |
| Elevation from | IGN MDT05 (Spain, 5 m) |
Bare-earth terrain model, smoothed over 500 m — it measures the ground, not the rooftops.
Kilometre-by-kilometre splits (grade-adjusted)
Grade-adjusted (GAP) splits for a 4:00:00 finish, computed from the course's elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model: uphill kilometres get more time, downhills less, at even effort. Splits scale proportionally for any other goal time — the interactive pace calculator on this page computes them exactly.
| Kilometre | GAP pace /km | GAP pace /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5:34 | 8:58 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 5:34 |
| 2 | 5:56 | 9:33 | +24 ft (+7 m) | 11:31 |
| 3 | 5:47 | 9:19 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 17:18 |
| 4 | 5:43 | 9:12 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 23:01 |
| 5 | 5:35 | 8:59 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 28:36 |
| 6 | 5:54 | 9:30 | +22 ft (+7 m) | 34:30 |
| 7 | 5:39 | 9:06 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 40:09 |
| 8 | 5:33 | 8:56 | -15 ft (-5 m) | 45:42 |
| 9 | 5:34 | 8:58 | -13 ft (-4 m) | 51:16 |
| 10 | 5:32 | 8:55 | -18 ft (-5 m) | 56:49 |
| 11 | 5:51 | 9:25 | +15 ft (+5 m) | 1:02:40 |
| 12 | 5:51 | 9:25 | +15 ft (+5 m) | 1:08:31 |
| 13 | 5:40 | 9:07 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:14:11 |
| 14 | 5:52 | 9:26 | +18 ft (+5 m) | 1:20:02 |
| 15 | 5:48 | 9:20 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 1:25:50 |
| 16 | 5:41 | 9:08 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 1:31:31 |
| 17 | 5:33 | 8:55 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 1:37:04 |
| 18 | 5:23 | 8:40 | -34 ft (-10 m) | 1:42:27 |
| 19 | 5:50 | 9:24 | +16 ft (+5 m) | 1:48:17 |
| 20 | 5:33 | 8:55 | -16 ft (-5 m) | 1:53:50 |
| 21 | 5:38 | 9:03 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 1:59:27 |
| 22 | 5:37 | 9:03 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 2:05:04 |
| 23 | 5:35 | 8:59 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 2:10:39 |
| 24 | 5:32 | 8:54 | -18 ft (-5 m) | 2:16:11 |
| 25 | 5:44 | 9:13 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 2:21:54 |
| 26 | 5:44 | 9:13 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 2:27:38 |
| 27 | 5:42 | 9:11 | +1 ft (0 m) | 2:33:20 |
| 28 | 5:38 | 9:05 | -5 ft (-2 m) | 2:38:59 |
| 29 | 5:47 | 9:19 | +10 ft (+3 m) | 2:44:46 |
| 30 | 5:40 | 9:07 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 2:50:26 |
| 31 | 5:38 | 9:04 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 2:56:03 |
| 32 | 5:39 | 9:06 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 3:01:43 |
| 33 | 5:44 | 9:13 | +4 ft (+1 m) | 3:07:27 |
| 34 | 5:41 | 9:08 | -1 ft (0 m) | 3:13:07 |
| 35 | 5:43 | 9:12 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 3:18:50 |
| 36 | 5:38 | 9:04 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 3:24:28 |
| 37 | 5:41 | 9:08 | -1 ft (0 m) | 3:30:09 |
| 38 | 5:43 | 9:12 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 3:35:52 |
| 39 | 5:46 | 9:16 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 3:41:38 |
| 40 | 5:42 | 9:11 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 3:47:20 |
| 41 | 5:52 | 9:26 | +18 ft (+5 m) | 3:53:12 |
| 42 | 5:43 | 9:12 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 3:58:55 |
| 42.2 | 5:31 | 8:52 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Barcelona Marathon flat or hilly?
The Barcelona Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change (2/5 difficulty). Total ascent is about 350 ft (110 m) over 26.2 miles.
How much elevation gain does the Barcelona Marathon have?
About 350 ft (110 m) of total ascent and 390 ft (120 m) of descent, for a net change of -39 ft (-12 m). Elevation is sampled from IGN MDT05 (Spain, 5 m) and smoothed over 500 m, so it will not match a GPS watch step for step.
What is the hardest part of the Barcelona Marathon course?
Kilometre 1 (near mile 0.5) is the toughest split on the course by grade-adjusted effort. Grade-adjusted pace puts it at roughly 4% more effort than flat running. The steepest grade on course is 4.0%.
When is the Barcelona Marathon?
The Barcelona Marathon is typically held in mid-March. The next edition is expected around March 15, 2027. Confirm the exact date on the official race website.
How many runners take part in the Barcelona Marathon?
The field is roughly 28,000 runners.
What pace do I need to run the Barcelona Marathon in my goal time?
At an even pace: 3:00:00 needs 6:52/mi (4:16/km); 3:30:00 needs 8:01/mi (4:59/km); 4:00:00 needs 9:09/mi (5:41/km); 4:30:00 needs 10:18/mi (6:24/km); 5:00:00 needs 11:27/mi (7:07/km); 5:30:00 needs 12:35/mi (7:49/km). On this course, grade-adjusted pacing shifts a few seconds per mile between uphill and downhill splits — the pace calculator on this page computes those splits for any goal time.
Plan your Barcelona race
Marathons with a similar profile
- Bayshore Marathon — 350 ft (110 m) ascent
- Manchester Marathon — 340 ft (100 m) ascent
- Toronto Marathon — 380 ft (120 m) ascent
- London Marathon — 410 ft (120 m) ascent
How Barcelona Marathon ranks
- Flattest marathon courses — ranked 12 of 20 (350 ft (110 m) of climbing)
- Net-downhill marathon courses — ranked 12 of 13 (40 ft (10 m) net drop)
- Biggest marathons by field size — ranked 15 of 20 (≈28,000 runners)
Official race site: https://www.zurichmaratobarcelona.es/en/