🇪🇸Valencia, Spain
Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Marathon
Dec 6, 2026
Distance
42.2 km
Elevation gain
36 m
Terrain
Road
Entry type
Open entry
PB potential
World-record territory — one of the fastest courses on the planet
Beginner friendly
Great for newcomers — manageable course, strong support
About this race
Valencia has quietly become Europe's premier PB marathon. Held in early December, when Mediterranean temperatures drop to a crisp 10–16°C and the humidity falls, the race offers a course that traces the River Turia park (a 9 km green lung running through the city centre), coastal promenades, and the City of Arts and Sciences complex — one of Europe's most striking pieces of modern architecture. The elevation gain of just 36m over 42.2 km makes it virtually flat. World records have been broken on this course. The atmosphere is warm and festive despite the December date, and the city's culinary culture makes the weekend a genuine trip rather than just a race. Register early — the 20,000 places fill within days of opening.
Typical race-day weather
Temperature
10–16°C
Humidity
55–65%
Conditions
Clear and cool, ideal racing weather
Wind
10–15 km/h W
Who this race suits
PB-hunters, plain and simple. Valencia is one of the fastest marathons in the world — flat, fast, and superbly organised, with near-ideal early-December weather.
Elite PB territory: pancake-flat, a World Athletics Platinum Label course, and cool, calm December conditions. Beginner-friendly too, given the flat profile and strong support.
Overview
- Field size
- ~30,000 finishers
- Course type
- City loop, exceptionally flat (~36 m gain)
- Reputation
- World Athletics Platinum Label — a renowned record-friendly course
- Entry
- Open paid entry
- Pace support
- Official pacers across a wide range of target times
Course intelligence
- Profile
- Flat and fast from start to finish — a genuinely quick course
- Highlights
- Wide avenues, the Turia gardens, and a finish on a footbridge over the water beside the City of Arts and Sciences
Registration
- How to enter
- Direct paid registration
- Registration opens
- Opens roughly a year ahead and sells out well before race day — book early
- Demand
- Rising sharply as its fast reputation has grown
Race weekend
- Expo
- Expo with in-person bib pickup at the City of Arts and Sciences
Travel & logistics
- Best airport
- Valencia (VLC); Alicante (ALC) is an alternative
- Getting around
- Metro and buses; the compact centre is walkable
- Where to stay
- City centre, or near the City of Arts and Sciences for the finish
Runner tips
- It's built for speed — set an honest goal pace and trust the flat course from the gun.
- December mornings are cool; bring throwaway layers for the start.
- Register early — Valencia sells out months in advance.
Qualifies for
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