Valencia, Spain · December
Pacing the Valencia Marathon
Flat and very fast
Flat, cool and organised around going fast. Valencia has built a reputation as the place to run a personal best, and the December date puts conditions close to ideal.
Official site: dates and entry
Dates, ballots and entry rules change every year and are not listed here. Check the official site.
How to pace it
This is about as favourable as marathon pacing gets. Flat throughout, cool air, and a field where a large proportion of runners are chasing a specific time and running in disciplined groups.
Those groups are the thing to use. Finding a pack running your target pace removes both the wind and the constant arithmetic, and Valencia has more of them at more paces than most races. Choose one that is running your pace rather than one that is slightly quicker.
Because conditions are so good, the temptation is to revise the target upwards on the start line. Do not. Good conditions are worth a modest amount, not a new personal best target invented that morning.
The opening kilometres carry a field made up almost entirely of runners in personal best shape, so the pace around you will be quicker than your target whatever your target happens to be. Let it go. Valencia rewards patience precisely because so many people spend theirs in the first 5 km.
Worth knowing
- Cool December conditions mean you will need less fluid than at a warm race, but do not skip fuelling.
- Pace groups are a genuine advantage here. Identify yours before the start.
- Entry has moved toward a ballot as demand has grown. Check the official site for the current process.
What the common targets ask for
| Finish | Per km | Per mile |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 4:16 | 6:52 |
| 3:30:00 | 4:59 | 8:01 |
| 4:00:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 |
| 4:30:00 | 6:24 | 10:18 |