Cristina Silva Feliu has won nearly every major road race across Barcelona over the past decade, yet the decorated Catalan distance runner insists her athletic identity belongs firmly in Llançanenca.
The accolade highlights a dual athletic life split between the relentless asphalt of Catalonia’s capital and the scenic coastal paths of the Alt Empordà. While Silva dominates urban routes like the Cursa de la Mercè, the Jean Bouin, and the Barcelona Half Marathon, she frequently returns north to train along the rocky Mediterranean paths connecting Llançà to Port de la Selva.
Transitioning From Basketball Courts to Competitive Road Racing
Silva’s journey into elite running began relatively late, sparking in 2014 when she struggled to balance a university schedule with playing competitive basketball. Seeking a flexible alternative, she started running with a local neighborhood gym group and gradually grew hooked on lowering her personal times. By 2018, she sought out professional coaching to elevate her performance.
Her breakthrough came in 2019 under the guidance of Carlos Herreras, a coach from Santa Coloma who manages the Ironwill club. Before teaming up with Herreras, Silva had already completed marathons in roughly three hours without a dedicated training plan. Once professional structuring took hold, her times plummeted.
That same year, a fortunate lottery draw for a marathon bib provided an unexpected milestone. Operating on just three weeks of specific preparation following her training for the Granollers Half Marathon, Silva shattered the three-hour barrier by clocking 2 hours and 56 minutes. Despite the success, she eventually shifted her primary focus away from the full 42.195-kilometer distance, finding her sweet spot in the demanding 21.1-kilometer half marathon—where she holds a personal best of 1 hour and 13 minutes—and fast 10K events.
Silva Dominates the Historic Behobia Race
The pinnacle of Silva’s road racing career arrived in 2022 at the historic Behobia-San Sebastián. Entering the prestigious cross-border race with modest podium aspirations, she broke away from the lead pack by the third kilometer and ran nearly the entire route alone, securing victory in one hour and eleven minutes amid roaring roadside crowds.
When she escapes the city traffic, Silva trades tarmac for trail running around Llançà, tackling routes toward Sant Pere de Rodes and Puig d’Esquers, alongside coastal walks. She also tests her speed on runnable trail circuits, such as her appearance at the Selvatjada in Selva de Mar. For Silva, local grassroots events hold a special emotional resonance, vividly demonstrated when she chose to skip a regular Barcelona fixture to compete in Llançà’s Entrepobles wearing her hometown club’s colors.
Chasing Elusive Glory at the Cursa dels Bombers
Silva’s immediate competitive sights are fixed on the upcoming Cursa dels Bombers in Barcelona, serving as the official Catalan 10K Championship. Having finished as runner-up in the past, she enters the race seeking her first victory at an iconic event notorious for fielding Olympic-caliber runners capable of blistering 32-minute finishes.
Facing a surging wave of younger, faster competitors entering the regional circuit, Silva approaches the challenge with pragmatic optimism. As she prepares for the starting gun, her philosophy for newcomers remains rooted in patience: build a foundation slowly, avoid self-imposed pressure, and above all, enjoy the journey from a five-kilometer fun run to the starting line of a championship race.
