📅 Save Valencia Marathon to your SportPlan calendar →

Perfectly flat: Zero net elevation change over 42.195 km. No Newton Hills, no Heartbreak Hill, no final climbs. Pure flat asphalt from start to finish.

December weather: Early December in Valencia brings 8-15°C temperatures, moderate humidity, light winds. The ideal conditions for fast marathons.

Deep runner field: 25,000+ finishers include thousands of sub-3:30, sub-3:00, sub-2:45 runners. The density of fast runners creates significant drafting effects throughout the race.

Official pacers for all times: From 2:05 to 5:30. There's always a pacer near your target time.

The proof: In 2024, Sabastian Sawe set the marathon world record with 2:02:05 in Valencia — the fastest marathon in history.

The course runs entirely through urban Valencia, primarily along the Turia River Garden — a 9km linear park in the former riverbed, now Valencia's green spine.

Key sections:

• Start (km 0-8): From Jardines del Real. Resist the flat-course temptation to go out too fast.
• Turia River (km 8-18): The iconic section. Perfect asphalt lined with palm trees.
• City center / historic areas (km 18-30): Through Valencia's emblematic neighborhoods.
• City of Arts and Sciences / Port (km 30-38): Calatrava's architectural landscape. This is where fatigue accumulates.
• Final stretch (km 38-42.2): Return to the center with massive crowd support.

Most common mistake: Going out too fast in the first km due to the flat course and festive atmosphere. Follow official pacers for your target time.

Registration at valenciaciudaddelrunning.com:

• Direct entries: Open typically February/March. Sell out within hours or days.
• Waitlist: Available after direct entries sell out.
• Charity entries: Guaranteed bibs with fundraising commitment. Available longer.
• No qualifying time: Open to all levels.

• ✈️ Valencia Airport (VLC): Direct flights from major European cities. London: ~2h30, Paris: ~2h, Amsterdam: ~2h30.
• 🚆 AVE high-speed train: Madrid-Valencia 1h30, Barcelona-Valencia 2h30.

Valencia fills up during marathon weekend. Reserve 4-6 months in advance. Best areas: Centro Histórico, Ruzafa, Zona Turia.

Estimated budget (3-4 nights): €100-250/night depending on category.

World record (men): Sabastian Sawe — 2:02:05 (Valencia, 2024) Course record (women): Tigst Assefa — 2:11:53 (Valencia, 2023)

Valencia has become the world capital of fast amateur marathons in the last decade. "Going to Valencia for my PR" is a phrase heard in running communities across Europe.

If you're looking for a marathon where conditions are in your favor to perform at your best, Valencia is the most rational choice in the European calendar.

Training plan (16-20 weeks):

• Weekly long runs up to 32-35 km at marathon goal pace + 20-30 sec/km
• 2-3 marathon pace sessions of 15-20 km
• Final long run simulation: 28-32 km with last 5-8 km at goal pace

December weather adaptation: If training in a warm climate, ensure the last 3-4 long runs are done at 10-12°C to simulate race conditions.

| 2024 | Sabastian Sawe | 2:02:05 WR | Amane Beriso | 2:14:58 | | 2023 | Kibel Tola | 2:03:39 | Tigst Assefa | 2:11:53 | | 2022 | Kenenisa Bekele | 2:05:46 | Lonah Salpeter | 2:17:08 |

Valencia has become the world capital of fast amateur marathons. "Going to Valencia for my PB" is a phrase heard in running communities across all of Europe.

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Valencia rewards marathon-specific training more than any other major event. The flat course means your marathon pace from day 1 of the plan should be central to everything.

Weekly plan framework (16-20 weeks):

• Week 1-6: Base building, 60-80 km/week. Include 1 tempo run of 10-12 km weekly.
• Week 7-12: Development phase. Long runs to 28 km. Add marathon pace sessions of 10-15 km.
• Week 13-17: Peak phase. Long runs 28-35 km. Marathon pace simulation workouts.
• Week 18-20: Taper. Reduce volume 40-50%. Keep short intensity sessions.

The Valencia-specific key workout: 25-28 km at marathon goal pace, on flat asphalt surface, in cool conditions (8-12°C if possible). This is the single most important training run for Valencia preparation.

The city: Valencia in December is excellent. Mild temperatures (15-20°C days), cultural events around the marathon, world-class gastronomy. Plan to arrive 2-3 days before the race to enjoy the city and attend the expo.

The expo: Held at Feria Valencia (Pabellón 1). Mandatory bib pickup. Allow 2-3 hours — it's one of the best marathon expos in Europe.

Pre-race dinner: Valencia is Spain's rice capital. Paella is tempting — but stick to tried pasta or rice dishes the night before. The Valencia gastronomy scene makes this difficult. Plan ahead.

Race morning: Start area is well-organized. Arrive 45+ minutes early. Bag check available. Warm-up zone designated.

SportPlan lets you filter by sport, date, city, and distance — all in one place. For this event, you can verify:

• Exact distance and date
• Course profile and elevation
• Registration requirements and deadlines
• Nearby events to complete your calendar

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Before participating, ensure you have the right equipment. General recommendations for any event type:

• Shoes: Trail shoes for off-road courses; road shoes for asphalt events
• Hydration: Ensure sufficient water and electrolytes based on duration
• Nutrition: For longer events, stick to the strategy you've tested in training
• Safety: Know the course; have an emergency phone accessible

Regardless of event type, these training principles apply:

Aerobic base: At least 3-4 months needed for a solid aerobic base. Weekly key sessions: one long run, one tempo/threshold session, and active recovery.

Hill training: For mountain events, specific work on ascents and descents is essential. Eccentric quad strength is critical for downhill running.

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