Are you a passionate runner? Do you like travelling while enjoying your favourite sport? Would you like to take part in a nocturnal race? If you have answered yes to the three questions above, you are a potential runner of the Bilbao Night Marathon. We will explain you everything about the 2019 edition.
What is the Bilbao Night Marathon?
In Spanish it is literally “the nocturnal Bilbao Marathon”, and it is organized by The Bilbao Bilborun Athletics Club, with 12,000 participants.
Dates
The Marathon Night is one of the unmissable sports event of the autumn and has a trajectory of 11 editions. This 2019, the event will take place on Saturday, October 19.
Marathon or half marathon
For yet another year, the runners can choose between the three distances approved by the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA): the pirate race (10k), the half marathon (21k) and the marathon (42k).
Circuits and refreshment areas
Regardless of the race you choose, the starting line is the same for everyone: the San Mamés stadium, from where the exciting circuit through the main streets of Bilbao will begin until you arrive at the Guggenheim Museum.
With a maximum time of five hours to complete the longest challenge, runners will have water stations every 2.5 km, as well as pacers during the two races exceeding 20 km.
Registration
Unfortunalety, registrations are already sold out.
Accommodation
Since resting well and eating correctly before the race are two of the main requirements for any runner who plans to perform well, a comfortable hotel close to the race is essential.
That is why we suggest you stay in the Silken Indautxu , a recently-renovated four-star hotel, located in the financial and commercial hub of the city. Thanks to its strategic central location, you will only take 15 minutes to reach the starting point, San Mamés, on foot, and seven minutes to return from the finishing line, the Guggenheim Museum.
What’s more, out hotel also boasts one of the city’s top restaurants, the Etxaniz restaurant where you can taste innovative yet traditional Basque cuisine without leaving the hotel.
Music and fireworks
In two consecutive laps of 21k each, the city marathon will pass by the main streets and monuments of Bilbao: Euskalduna, Gran vía, Teatro Arriaga, Parte Vieja, the City Hall, Torres Isozaki and the Puente Calatrava, among others.
As with every race, the idea is to run and arrive at the finishing line but also to enjoy the circuit and the festive atmosphere. To facilitate matters, the city will be transformed for one night into a spectacle about running, with fireworks and light shows at different points along the route.
In turn, a giant screen installed on the Guggenheim Museum will show live pictures of the progression of the race while on stage groups of music, dance and DJs will entertain the public and the runners crossing the line.
While participants of the half marathon and the full marathon must be over 18 years of age, the minimum age for participation in the pirate race is 16.
Bilbao is brought to a standstill for an entire night to pay tribute to sport and experience it to the maximum with one of the main sports, festive and cultural events not only in the city, but on the peninsula, Marathon Night. We look forward to seeing you in Bilbao wearing your trainers!
