The 2016 Andorra Marathon
Marathon # 138
Country # 52
Date: July 16, 2016
My Time: 11:45:29
Update: August 18, 2022
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
The Andorra Marathon or Marató dels cims (English: the Marathon of the Peaks) was arguably the world best marathon. Unfortunately, the race could not survive the Covid-19 pandemic.
The leading Marathon Globetrotter and retired geography teacher from Wyoming, Brent Weigner, is one of the few people on the planet who can locate Andorra on a map, let alone to visit the lovely principality and run the Andorra Marathon. Yet, the Andorra Marathon was not only the world best marathon, but also undeniably one of the toughest, so much so that the Boston Marathon would look like a walk in the park, and its Newton Hills—including Heartbreak Hill—would look like gentle mounds.
The Andorra Marathon was a 42.5 km (26.4 mi.) race on the mountains of the Principality of Andorra, with 3,400 meters (11,155 ft) of total ascent, a 14-hour time limit and three cut-offs on the course that the participants had to reach within 5 hours and half, 8 hours, and 10 hours and half. Some hills are so steep that hooks and chains were installed to help participants move forward. It’s not usual to do mountaineering on a marathon.
Although the Andorra Marathon was extremely challenging—compared for instance to the Boston Marathon—it was just one of the junior races of the Andorra Ultra Trail, which included a 233 km (145 mi.) race aptly named Eufòria, with 20,000 meters (65,617 ft) of total ascent and 5 peaks above 2,900 meters (9,514 ft). Sadly, due to the frenzy of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organizers decided to put an end to the Andorra Ultra Trail.
The World Best Road Race
The Comrades Marathon in South Africa (90 km) is not only the best and oldest ultramarathon, but also the world best road race. I explain why in the book Running Barefoot for Human Survival, chapter XXVI: The Great Persistence Hunting in KwaZulu-Natal.
My book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
Country # 52
Date: July 16, 2016
My Time: 11:45:29
Update: August 18, 2022
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
The Andorra Marathon or Marató dels cims (English: the Marathon of the Peaks) was arguably the world best marathon. Unfortunately, the race could not survive the Covid-19 pandemic.
The leading Marathon Globetrotter and retired geography teacher from Wyoming, Brent Weigner, is one of the few people on the planet who can locate Andorra on a map, let alone to visit the lovely principality and run the Andorra Marathon. Yet, the Andorra Marathon was not only the world best marathon, but also undeniably one of the toughest, so much so that the Boston Marathon would look like a walk in the park, and its Newton Hills—including Heartbreak Hill—would look like gentle mounds.
The Andorra Marathon was a 42.5 km (26.4 mi.) race on the mountains of the Principality of Andorra, with 3,400 meters (11,155 ft) of total ascent, a 14-hour time limit and three cut-offs on the course that the participants had to reach within 5 hours and half, 8 hours, and 10 hours and half. Some hills are so steep that hooks and chains were installed to help participants move forward. It’s not usual to do mountaineering on a marathon.
Although the Andorra Marathon was extremely challenging—compared for instance to the Boston Marathon—it was just one of the junior races of the Andorra Ultra Trail, which included a 233 km (145 mi.) race aptly named Eufòria, with 20,000 meters (65,617 ft) of total ascent and 5 peaks above 2,900 meters (9,514 ft). Sadly, due to the frenzy of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organizers decided to put an end to the Andorra Ultra Trail.
The World Best Road Race
The Comrades Marathon in South Africa (90 km) is not only the best and oldest ultramarathon, but also the world best road race. I explain why in the book Running Barefoot for Human Survival, chapter XXVI: The Great Persistence Hunting in KwaZulu-Natal.
My book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
The Andorra Marathon, aka the Marathon of the Peaks, is arguably the world best marathon.
The Andorra Marathon or Marató dels cims was one of the junior races of the Andorra Ultra Trail.
Dr. Sidy Diallo’s 2016 Andorra Marathon Certificate
Dr. Sidy Diallo completed the 2016 Andorra Marathon