The Spanish metropolis as soon as once more hosts star-studded fields, with over a dozen Brits making the journey in pursuit of non-public bests on the historically quick course.
With its repute for dependable sunny winter climate and fast instances, the Valencia Marathon has at all times attracted among the world’s greatest distance runners.
Though not one of many present seven Abbott World Marathon Majors, the fields are often stacked in Valencia, with the present course data held by Ethiopian duo Sisay Lemma and Amane Beriso.
Lemma ran 2:01:48 for his victory two years in the past, placing him fourth on the boys’s all-time checklist, whereas Beriso triumphed three years in the past with 2:14:58 – a mark that at the moment locations her sixth on the ladies’s all-time standings.
The pair headline this yr’s version (December 7) and boast the quickest marks of their respective fields. Nonetheless they have not competed since April’s Boston Marathon, with Lemma failing to complete and Beriso inserting fifth in 2:21:58.
Lemma, the 2024 Boston and 2021 London Marathon champion, will seemingly face his greatest problem from John Korir, who has a greatest of two:02:44 over 26.2 miles.
Korir ran that point to win final yr’s Chicago Marathon earlier than then triumphing in Boston again in April. The Kenyan had hoped to interrupt 2:01 in Chicago however DNF’d.
Tesfaye Deriba has the third quickest time within the subject with 2:04:13, a mark he set when profitable this yr’s Barcelona Marathon. He additionally represented Ethiopia over 26.2 miles on the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo however failed to complete.
One athlete who’ll be aiming to enhance on his end eventually yr’s Valencia Marathon is Kenya’s Hillary Kipkoech. He ran 2:04:45 for eighth and adopted that up by clocking 2:06:05 for seventh on the London Marathon.
The 2 main two European male athletes, Samuel Fitwi and Amanal Petros, are each from Germany. Fitwi set a nationwide document of two:04:56 eventually season’s version in Valencia whereas Petros, a world marathon silver medallist from Tokyo, ran his private greatest of two:04:58 in Berlin two years in the past.
A powerful continental European subject sees Spain’s Tariku Novales (2:05:48), France’s Nico Navarro (2:05:53) and Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa (2:06:06) all take to the beginning line.
An unimaginable 14 British males with a private greatest of two:15:00 or quicker will compete at this yr’s Valencia Marathon.
Phil Sesemann is the quickest within the subject and set a private greatest of two:07:18 in Amsterdam simply two months in the past. This would be the Brit’s third race over 26.2 miles in 2025 after he ran 2:14:46 in London again in April.
Callum Hawkins has a greatest of two:08:14 within the subject however that was set on the 2019 London Marathon. The 60:00 half-marathon runner has competed twice this season, operating 62:55 and 63:47 in Cardiff and Madrid respectively.
Jonny Mellor arrives in Valencia off the again of a 28:28 10km in Wilmslow and can purpose to get near his marathon greatest of two:09:06 from Seville final yr.
After operating 2:11:08 on his marathon debut in London, Alex Yee will probably be hoping to go even faster in Valencia and, primarily based off his coaching, is in good condition to take action.
The Olympic triathlon champion has had 5 weeks over 100 miles in his coaching and, based on his COROS PACE 4 watch, is on schedule to probably run 2:05:46 – a time that might put him second on the UK all-time checklist behind Mo Farah (2:05:11).
Tom Evans, the ultra-runner who received final yr’s 100-mile Western States Endurance Run and this season’s Extremely-Path du Mont-Blanc, is competing in his first marathon for eight years.
The Brit represented Nice Britain on the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Poland however hasn’t raced over 26.2 miles since he clocked 2:26:07 on the 2017 Frankfurt Marathon.
Jack Rowe will probably be aiming to finish his first marathon after failing to complete in London final yr. The 60:53 half-marathon runner has excelled over 13.1 miles this season and received the Massive Half.
Others to be careful for embody Weynay Ghebresilasie (2:09:50), Luke Caldwell (2:11:13) and Ben Connor (2:11:20).
Within the elite ladies’s subject, anticipate a three-way battle between Beriso, Peres Jepchirchir and Joyciline Jepkosgei.
Despite the fact that Beriso has the quickest mark within the subject, each Jepchirchir and Jepkosgei have been in higher type this season.
Jepchirchir, a triple world main marathon winner, beat Olympic champion Tigist Assefa to safe the gold medal over 26.2 miles on the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The Kenyan’s run of two:24:43 was removed from her former ladies’s solely word-record of two:16:16 – a mark (2:15:50) now held by Assefa – however Jepchirchir has the potential to go even faster and take the victory in Valencia.
You may’t rely out her compatriot Jepkosgei nonetheless, particularly as she positioned second to Assefa at this yr’s London Marathon with 2:18:44.
Jepkosgei is a winner of each the London and New York Metropolis Marathons and has a greatest of two:16:24 over 26.2 miles.
Each the USA and Australia boast various athletes at this yr’s Valencia Marathon, with the American cost led by Keira D’Amato (2:19:12) and Emma Bates (2:23:18).
Australia has three sub-2:24 ladies within the subject so anticipate Jessica Stenson (2:22:56), Isobel Batt-Doyle (2:22:59) and Genevieve Gregson (2:23:08) to do effectively.
Charlotte Purdue leads the British feminine entries for Valencia and has the sixth quickest mark within the subject with 2:22:17.
At present third on the UK all-time checklist behind Paula Radcliffe and Calli Hauger-Thackery, Purdue hasn’t competed in a marathon since she ran that point in Berlin two years in the past. She was meant to run in London again in April however pulled out as a precaution.
With a greatest of two:25:12, Lily Partridge is the second quickest Brit in Valencia and, at the moment ranked eleventh, will purpose to place herself within the prime 10 on the UK standings. Partridge will fancy her possibilities given her quickest marathon got here in Valencia two years in the past. She positioned twenty third in April’s Boston Marathon with 2:32:19.
Natasha Wilson is a 2:26:14 marathon runner – a mark she set in Valencia three years in the past – and arrives within the Spanish metropolis off the again of three half-marathons and a time of two:27:12 over 26.2 miles in Hamburg.
Different Brits to be careful for are Becky Briggs (2:29:06), Naomi Robinson (2:30:54) and Leila Armoush (2:33:25).
