LIVING

And, it’s true. Freedom is one of the greatest attributes of running. Generally, it can be done alone, with others, anywhere, at any time. The only requirements are the desire to move and a pair of shoes. More than any other sport, running is open-minded. It doesn’t matter where you are from, who you are, what you do—if you show up and run, then you are a runner. There are few other sports in which people train for countless hours in solitude and then compete surrounded by crowds of people sharing a single goal: to finish.

However, some places are more running friendly than others. In many ways, cities are a runner’s natural enemy. The miles of concrete, traffic, pedestrians, pollution, distractions and other dangers all conspire either to discourage or infuriate the dedicated athlete. The few cities like Boulder, Colorado that claim to be running meccas all boast small populations in settings that offer miles of soft dirt trails. But, it takes a great city to celebrate the sport of running with style. Standing on the sidelines of the New York Marathon for a few minutes will give even the most skeptical a new appreciation for people who think running 26 miles is fun.

While Barcelona suffers from anti-running woes like all major cities, it certainly knows how to put on a good race. In fact, the Cursa de El Cortes Inglés, one of Barcelona’s longest running races, holds a Guinness Record for the number of its participants in 1994: 109,457. The Cursa started in 1979 with 17,184 runners. Today, it usually registers about 50,000 runners every May and is one of the largest road races in the world. The race is open to all and registration is free, which usually causes it to be more of a fun run than a serious venue for top-notch performances.

The Barcelona Marathon is another race that has been drawing runners from all over the world for nearly 30 years. This year, the marathon celebrated the highest participation numbers in its history: rising from 6,311 runners in 2007 to 7,978 this year. In addition, most runners raved about the friendly reception, support and efficient organisation of the race, although there were a few complaints about onlookers smoking on the sidelines or crossing in front of the runners.