24 Hores d'Ultrafons en Pista Barcelona

Event Overview

Course & Terrain

Athletics-track loop at Estadi Municipal Joan Serrahima, with the individual 24-hour race running from Saturday noon to Sunday noon. Runners use the inner lanes 1–3, and every lap is credited at 400.00 m, the length of lane 1. The direction of running reverses every three hours.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Inner lanes 1–3 of the 400 m track at Estadi Municipal Joan Serrahima
• Direction changes every three hours, announced and signposted
• Official splits at 50 km, 50 miles, 100 km, 100 miles, 6 hours and 12 hours
• Coffee and broth through the night and a Saturday pasta dinner

Flat track running on the three inside lanes, with every lap credited at the 400.00 m length of lane 1, so straying wide only costs distance; men’s winners have needed 611 to 645 laps since 2022. The direction reverses every three hours to even out the strain of constant turning, and the organizer announces and signposts each change. The bib must be worn on the front and visible at all times, and runners may relieve themselves only in the changing rooms, toilets or chemical toilets. Official splits are taken at 50 km, 50 miles, 100 km, 100 miles, 6 hours and 12 hours, with partial laps measured at the 6- and 12-hour marks.

AEMET’s 1981–2010 climate normals for Barcelona Airport give December an average high of 14.3°C (58°F) and an average low of 5.7°C (42°F), with 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain spread over 4.4 days and 141 hours of sunshine for the month. Expect a mild midday start and a cold night on the open track, so pack warm layers for the small hours.

Entry & Logistics

Why This Race Matters

Barcelona’s December 24-hour track race was first held in 2004 and is organized by the runners’ association Corredors.Cat with the support of Barcelona City Council. The 2026 race is the 23rd edition, a count that includes the virtual event held in place of the track race in 2020. All proceeds go to charity, and for 2026 the beneficiary is again the Fundació Amics de l’Hospital del Mar, for ALS research. DUV lists an IAU Silver label for recent editions. Since 2023 the race has used the 400 m track at Estadi Joan Serrahima on Montjuïc. Both course records predate the move to the inner lanes in 2022: Andrii Tkachuk’s 264.914 km in 2021 and Antje Krause’s 235.228 km in 2016.

Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):

• Men: Andrii Tkachuk (Ukraine), 264.914 km, 2021
• Women: Antje Krause (Germany), 235.228 km, 2016
• Best marks on the 400 m Serrahima track (since 2023): Francisco Mariano Martínez Morales, 258.011 km in 2024, and Claire Bannwarth, 226.811 km in 2023.
• Two-time winners, according to DUV: José Luis Posado (2005, 2006), Kai Horschig (2009, 2011), Grant MacDonald (2016, 2018) and Juan Ramón González Navarro (2022, 2023) among the men, and Antje Krause (2015, 2016) among the women.

Preparing for a Race Like 24 Hores d'Ultrafons en Pista Barcelona

The 24-hour race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• 24-hour races explained: How the format works and what to compare before entering.
• How to train for a 24-hour race: Progression, walking, night-gear practice, fueling and tapering.
• 24-hour race pacing strategy: Conservative starts, run/walk options and late-race reassessment.
• What to eat during a 24-hour race: Food choices, stomach problems, hydration and caffeine.

Best Fit

• Runners chasing a first or faster 24-hour result on a measured, chip-timed track
• Athletes aiming for 244 km (men) or 224 km (women); the top five of each sex past those marks earn a free entry to the next edition
• Runners who like a charity race with 12-hour, 6-hour and team events running alongside

Planning Notes

• Start conservatively and use flexible process checkpoints for effort, walking, food, fluid, alertness, and symptoms instead of forcing one hourly distance target.
• Repetitive surfaces can expose fit, friction, and loading problems. Check in when symptoms or conditions change, and use only footwear already tested for the course.
• The directory marks this as having comparatively simpler logistics. That editorial label is not a safety rating; verify cutoffs, terrain, support, crew access, and withdrawal procedures.
• The 24-hour race sells out within a day of opening in July; after that only injury-vacated places reopen, on November 2
• December overnight lows in Barcelona average about 6°C (42°F), a long cold stretch after a mild midday start
• Leaving the stadium counts as a withdrawal, so all rest happens on site with your own sleeping gear
• The organizer supplies only basics (water, cola, sports drink, fruit, nuts, bars, coffee, broth and a pasta dinner), so any specific nutrition has to be brought in

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Browse the curated 24-hour race calendar
• Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
• Browse the 24-hour race calendar
• Open the 24-Hour format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Estimate race calories and plan fueling
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist