Valencia Marathon 2013

Who's in this year?

After such an enjoyable race last year, could not resist taking advantage of the early bird entry fee. Excitement already building image

«134567

Comments

  • is  the race a good  one

     

  • richard, maybe I am slightly biased as it was my first ever marathon, but the whole day was magnificent. Brilliant pre race expo, excellent organisation, the race starts following a huge volley of fireworks, excellent support all the way. And as for finishing areas, they don't get much grander than Valencia. The course is flat to help with pb attempts, not too hot, the route takes in many different parts of the city. It is a perfect city marathon imho.

  • Planning to sign up at the end of the week (when get paid!). Am glad to hear you had such a good experience last year- have been a bit worried that it is just full of really fast local runners! Had read elsewhere that it was really hot last year which was another concern (I ran Dublin last October and was quite cool- perfect for me!)

  • Just looking at this one as a nice potential book end to the year. Jake - can you tell us a bit about the facilities i.e. are there enough water stops, energy drinks, toilets at the start and on the course? Any info would be great, thanks!

  • Kiera, from memory was around 17/18 degress when I finished 4:30, this was the warmest part of the race. Started off a lovely cool morning, there had been overnight rain which gave a perfect fresh feeling to the race. At four hours 30, I didn't feel in any way slow, although there were very few fun runners dressed as Mickey mouse and the like, the odd matador waving red blankets about image

     

    Chris, drinks every 5km, with energy drinks at every station, water bottles or cups. Gels at two stations (can't remember which, sorry). Loads of toilets at the start, there was a queue of about five people in front of me, didn't notice about toilets on the actual course but judged on the start facilities, there must have been plenty. Spray down from fire hoses at later stages. The highlight of the course for me was mile 18 into a series of tunnels with big speakers pointing in either end with dance music booming in, was a mssive lift to the spirits. Lots of bands and music along the course. The goody bag was the best I have received, also a half pint of lager for those that wanted it, medal was plonked around my neck by a gorgeous Spanish girl (worth the entry fee alone!). I missed out on a post race rub down as my little boy came to the finish!!

  • Are you sure you aren't employed by the marathon Jake because you're doing a really good job of selling it! Thanks for that though. I find out tomorrow if I've got in New York Marathon this year (actually hoping to be rejected for the third and final time so I'm guaranteed next year and can plan properly) so if I don't get in I think Valencia could be the one!

  • Lol, I did think I sounded like a sales rep when typing the reply! I'm sure there are people with contrary opinions to mine! Hope to see you there image

  • Thanks for all the info, def sounds like a good one. Will register after payday probably!!

  • GeeeMGeeeM ✭✭✭

    I also did it last year - it's very, very good image

    I echo what Jake has said - brilliant start/finish location at the mad City of Arts & Sciences, well supported with aid statios every 5k, (GU gels and bottles IIRC). Oranges, pastries and a towel in the goodie bag plus free lager!

    Valencia is a very easy city to get to and around thanks to the brilliant Metro system, a few of us met-up in an Irish pub nearby afterwards for a drink...

    Will probably do it again this year image

  • Did you guys that did it last year stay in hotels or rent apartments?!

  • We stayed in a gorgeous apartment right in the centre of the old part of town. It was a bus ride from the start but worth the extra travel. This time I am going alone and meeting a buddy and are staying quite near to the start/ finish area.

     

  • GeeeMGeeeM ✭✭✭

    Apartment for me - Maritim Apartamentos, (google it) very nice studio apartments 30 mins walk from the start/finish and close to the Metro.

     

  • My friend and I have just registered! Very excited at the moment image

    Thanks for the info re apartments- Maritim looks lovely so will check them out soon.

     

  • Sold! All signed up, flights booked, hotel near start area reserved! Just the trianing to do now.....

    What was the expo like? was it easy to pick up race number etc? My flight gets in at 11.25 local time

  • GeeeMGeeeM ✭✭✭

    Expo was easy, last year you picked up your number & chip in the main hall where all the stalls are, (Príncipe Felipe Science Museum) and then got your T-Shirt separately at the Hemispheric for some reason...?

    I think my flight got in about midday and I was at the Expo at 3pm after checking-in to the hotel - use the Metro, it's cheap and fast, (use your ticket like an Oyster card - swipe it on the sensor - took me a while to work that out)

    Free paela and beer at the expo last year image

  • Seems like there is free beer all round!

  • Well I've gone for it and signed up. Probably going to go over solo - anybody else doing the same?

  • I also ran last year, Valencia is a lovely city, really easy to get around. The marathon is flat & not too crowded, there's a brilliant atmosphere around the course, with plenty of drinks & gels handed out. The expo is easy to get to and a 15 min walk from nearest metro. 

    I travelled on my own & stayed in an apartment 10 min walk from the city centre. Supermarket & pubs nearby. & metro stop 2min walk away. They were called 'valencia central apartments' 

    Doing the French Riviera marathon this time, but will definitely run Valencia again in the future.

    good luck with this years training! 

  • Looks like Valencia will be my Autumn marathon. Was hoping to do Poznan in October but a niggling injury put paid to that. It looks a great marathon and ther website does a good sales job. The Holiday Inn prices look good and they also seem near the start/finish. Like the sound of the Irish pub too!  For me it will probably mean a  flight to Madrid and then AVE train to Valencia. Anyone stayed in these Holiday Inns?

  • It was a nice touch at the start of the race last year (maybe it's the same everywhere?), they announced the number of runners from UK. From memory there was 64 or something. But the booming massive fireworks really got the blood pumping image

  • Hey guys, have entered This year as took part last year as my first marathon, group of 4 of us ran last year, this year 22 of us going, 7 running the marathon, 10 of us running 10k, you will notice us in matching hoodies. this will be my second and last I'm afraid, mileage at my age damaging my knees, only been running 3 years, but training hard for the marathon this year, want to beat my time of 3 hours and 49 minutes. I concur with all the positive comments, great expo, day before, good organisation, false start last year, the front runners thought that the fire work display was the gun for start, we all had to back up. Plenty of water stations, etc, even fire brigade are out with hose pipes, hosing you down, lots of support all around the course. Those entering, enjoy. We fly Friday morning and come back late Monday. Great long weekend away. Wow, can't believe I've written so much!,image

  • I'm looking to enter this but trying to work out logistics.  Does anyone know a precise start and finish so I can look at nearby hotels? Cheers

  • The JimbobThe Jimbob ✭✭✭

    I'm in, anyone from North London going?

  • Ally, the info is on their website but it is right in the middle of the city, loads of hotels near by.

    Jimbob - yep, another Norf Londoner right here!

  • The JimbobThe Jimbob ✭✭✭

    Sweet mate! where ya based? i'm Finchley Central - but i'm Tufnell park boy originally!

     

  • The JimbobThe Jimbob ✭✭✭

    Anyone else started their training for this yet? I'm training for Berlin so I'm already into a plan.

  • Yeah, training already underway, with a few half marathons booked in to give me something to aim for in the long run up.

    Jimbob, I'm a bit more south than that, sort of in the middle of Old Street-Angel-H&I tubes, so I do most of my training along the Regent's canal between Angle and Limehouse, as well as seemingly endless circuits of Victoria Park - all nice and flat and no roads to cross and slow me down!

  • The JimbobThe Jimbob ✭✭✭

    Dan, what halves are you booked into? - i am running RunToThebeat, Great North Run and then Berlin Marathon end of Sept. Looking to take in another half towards the end of Oct. Not planning a training schedule for Valencia as such, plan to just re-ignite my Berlin plan temporarily after a 2 week break from running, will probably just do a half end of Oct and a 20 mile early november, no taper as such, just keep ticking over.

    The idea of this race for me is it's something to break up the winter training. Planning spring marathons as well but 6 months between Berlin and Paris is too long for me so Valencia looked good - i'm in! Won't be aiming for anything spectacular as it's too close to Berlin.

    Mate, if you are doing RuntoTheBeat we could meet up before / or after

     

  • Hey Jimbob, I'm actually doing the hackney half the same day as runtothebeat as RTTB was so busy last year I got fed up with it. Two weeks after hackney is Eton Dorney and then two weeks after that is Blenheim palace, although that will be more of a short run by then and doing it with a friend, so not aiming for great things there. 

    If I manage to sneek in under 4 hours for Valencia then thats me done with this distance - the training just cuts into my personal time so much! Unless my London ballot is successful of course.......

  • Not been on here for a while, had all sorts of niggles this summer, probably a combination of old age and trying to change to forefoot running! Just feeling right back into the groove and really excited about Valencia once again. Good to read the positive vibes on here, stay fit and healthy everyone image

Sign In or Register to comment.