Visiting Madrid

Madrid is not only the capital of Spain. It is also one of the cities I really enjoy in Europe. I can’t put the finger on it but something it is. Just coming there makes me happy. I love the atmosphere, the street life, the smiling and friendly people it is something in the air at that place. Although I love places near water this place is like a magnet to me. From the first to the many times I been there. My last visit a few weeks ago had one purpose and a bonus. Seeing friends was number one and number two was to run the very popular running race Rock n’roll half marathon. 

What to do during a weekend in Madrid

The whole weekend was a long fiesta of great food and conversations. Like a weekend should be. And in between some hours spent in my running shoes. Friday evening took me to a local and famous Spanish tapas bar, Alberto. It was as Spanish you can think. Like an iconic tapas bar from a movie. I tried oxtail for the first time in my life (I think) and it was tasting very well. The meat was almost falling apart when eating in. And of course some wine. 

Saturday started off with an easy 5K run in new and old neighborhoods in central Madrid. This is a big recommendation if you want to feel like a local. Tie your shoes at 7:30ish and pull yourself out of bed. You will see the city differently. The rest of the day was about walking around and have enjoyable stops in Retiro park and for food and beverage. No pressure of doing tourist things. I already ticked off the Prado museum and castle which are must do’s and sees that I can highly recommend. The iconic nightclub Pacha I also ticked off 15+ years ago dancing on the VIP tables had an unforgettable time. Everything has its time. The rest in this city is more or less go with the flow. Enjoy! 

There are a lot of nice and handcrafted things to buy if you don’t go for multinational brands. Walking into stores where handmade leather goods are sold want me to buy more handbags and slippers than I can wear out in a lifetime. If I had a new bag with me home? of course. I tried to keep my fingers off buying stuff but another soveurnier also joined me home. A pair of yellow and blue Adidas Adizero Boston running shoes Madrid edition. I think the most touristy thing I did in the whole weekend was to eat some late night tapas the evening before my half marathon race at the city mercado near Plaza Mayor.

Half marathon in Madrid

On Sunday morning after a night with less good sleep the two blue was opened and saw the day light. First point on the schedule was coffee and something to eat. A quick Starbucks later and I was ready for 21K of running. It was not any A race of the year I was simply happy finish faster than two weeks before at Zürich half marathon (1:43). My hamstring has been a bit pain in the ass a month so have not been able to practice the way I wish after Rome marathon. Two years ago I had the same with the right one so now the left felt it was its turn to be cranky.

Prepared with some (a lot) of Tiger balm and my tight 2XU shorts the feeling was not to bad and I could push better than expected over the hills on this up and down course. If you thought Madrid was flat I can tell that it is not. The marathon course I did not signed up to run because I know running up from the park down the palace is nothing you want to do after 38K of running. Madrid marathon is still on my to do list but I will wait to come back until they change the course. I surprised myself and finished strong at sub 1:40. Happy vibes all over the course and I absolutely loved this race. Live music and only great vibes and the big sun was also out.

The rest of the day was about watching my friends running the full 42K race and also a lot of others fighting both the 21 and 42K. The whole city was in festival mode and a random girl from UK that was there on a weekend trip came to me after the race and asked if she could take borrow my medal to take a picture of it for her mood board since she wanted to put it as a goal to run next year. Was a great and energizing weekend topped with an after run acai bowl in between all tapas and sangrias.

/ Pernilla that love weekend escapes in Madrid