The ASB Student Whose Father Started the Barcelona Marathon

Paul Oliu joined ASB in 1977, when his father, Ramón, a chemist with an American chemical company, was transferred to Barcelona. While Paul was in classrooms, his father was building something no one in Spain had done before: a marathon for ordinary runners.

Ramón had run the New York City Marathon in 1976 and came home convinced Catalonia needed its own race. When Barcelona refused to close its streets, he took the idea to Palafrugell on the Costa Brava, where 185 runners lined up on 12 March 1978 for Spain's first popular marathon. Two years later, the city finally said yes, and in 1980 the race moved to Barcelona, the first marathon ever run through the streets of a Spanish city.

"Sometimes I'm reminded of just how amazing my Dad was. What began as a small marathon he helped launch in 1978 has grown into something truly remarkable. It's incredible to see how one person's vision and determination can leave a legacy that continues nearly five decades later."

Looking back, Paul admits the significance of it all wasn't obvious at the time:

"At the time, the impact of what my dad was doing wasn't so clear. I thought it was 'just a race.' I had been to so many over the years, watching him run, that it wasn't a big deal. What I do remember is his quiet demeanor and his drive to build this race for runners. It was never about him, but it was always about the sport that gave him so much. He wrote a book, L'Essencia del Correr, because there were no books on the subject for others to learn about the sport. And it was truly not until years later, when his friends and the running community had a small plaque placed in Montjuïc celebrating his life and the Marathon he founded, that it really dawned on me how many started logging miles because of him."

Today Paul lives in Princeton, New Jersey, with his wife Heidi and their three sons, Zach, Marc and Luke. When he isn't selling technology to the Catholic Church, he coaches, plays soccer, or makes videos for his YouTube channel, SimpleCoachTV.

Ramón Oliu passed away in 2005, but his race lives on. What began with 185 runners in a small Costa Brava town now draws 27,000 to Barcelona's streets every March. When the 2027 edition sets off on 14 March, they'll all be following in his footsteps.

Thank you, Paul, for sharing your family's story with us.

Click here for the full history of the Barcelona Marathon.