International Marathon of Biarritz
Biarritz, France · Sunday 5 May 2024
This race suits runners who enjoy technical, undulating terrain and don't mind a proper workout on trails. It's built for those who've trained specifically on elevation gain rather than chasing a flat, fast time. The Basque Country setting means you'll encounter a mix of coastal paths, village routes, and countryside sections, so variety in your training run matters. If you thrive on scenery and atmosphere as much as personal performance, you'll find the festive vibe throughout the course rewarding. This isn't the race to run on minimal hill preparation, and it won't produce a personal best for most runners, but that's not really the point. The course throws genuine climbing at you across the 42 kilometres, with sections that alternate between seaside beauty and proper inland hills. You'll be managing elevation changes constantly rather than facing one big beast early on, which can feel relentless by kilometre thirty. The trail surface means footing demands attention, especially when fatigued, and wet conditions would make sections genuinely technical. Recovery between aid stations will matter because this isn't fast terrain. The environment is genuinely beautiful, which helps, but you need to be honest with yourself about whether you enjoy grinding through undulating trails or whether you'd rather be on flat asphalt. The locale and crowd energy are real assets, but they won't carry you up the hills.
Difficulty Calculator
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Adjusted Time
4:52:58
Time difference: +53.0 minutes compared to a flat, road, temperate course.
Course Details
Elevation Gain654m
Elevation High83m
Elevation Low1m
International Marathon of Biarritz 2024 Course Analysis
International Marathon of Biarritz is a full marathon held in Biarritz, France, scheduled for Sunday 5 May 2024. The course is run on trail surface with 654m of total elevation gain, reaching a maximum altitude of 83m above sea level. For registration and full race details, visit the official International Marathon of Biarritz website.
Elevation Profile
This is a very challenging course with 654m of total elevation gain — significantly more than the average trail marathon. The route ranges from 1m to 83m above sea level (82m range). Hill training is essential, and runners should expect a significantly slower time compared to a flat course.
Surface Type: Trail
International Marathon of Biarritz is a trail race, meaning the course includes unpaved surfaces such as dirt, gravel, or forest paths. Trail surfaces are inherently slower than road courses due to uneven footing, technical sections, and often steeper gradients. Trail-specific shoes with good grip are recommended, and runners should expect a finish time 10-20% slower than their equivalent road marathon time.
How Difficult Is International Marathon of Biarritz?
Our difficulty rating for International Marathon of Biarritz is calculated using a model that combines elevation gain, temperature impact, and surface type. Use the difficulty calculator above to enter your target finish time and see exactly how many minutes this course would add or subtract compared to a perfectly flat, cool, road-based marathon. Faster runners and slower runners are affected differently by the same course conditions, so the difficulty is personalised to your pace.
Looking for an easier marathon or a tougher challenge? You can also compare International Marathon of Biarritz against other marathons to find the right race for your goals.
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