I already loved Barcelona so the race already had a great start. The city is beautiful, the people are great and the beer is fabulous.

The Expo was very well organised and spacey and even when there was a slight blip with locating my number it was dealt with swiftly.

The start line is ridiculously easy to get to (a metro station stops directly below) and was clearly marked out to be able to find everything you need.

The scenery around the course itself can be a bit repetitive at times but when you see a highlight it is a real high i.e. The Camp Nou, Sagradia Familia etc. The aid stations come regularly and are well stocked, water and powerade from the start and then fruit, gels and nuts available later in the race.

The local support was very good, especially as you neared the finish line and my own little support was able to get all over the course thanks to the great transport system.

I know it's my first and I don't have a lot to compare to but I would definitely highly recommend the Barcelona Marathon, an amazing weekend.