© Copyright – 2024 – Athletics Illustrated
According to sources in the city of Valencia, Spain, there is no damage to the city proper from recent floods. The flooding took place south of Valencia in villages not protected by the re-routing of the Turia River during the 1970s, to avoid potential flooding.
“I live in Valencia and I agree they will not cancel. Valencia city itself is not affected and they’re working hard on the pueblos and roads leading to Valencia,” said a contributor to a popular chat forum.
From the event
An email communique from the organizers reads, “We are already preparing the running bibs for the 44th Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich 2024 to be held on 1 December 2024.
Please check or update your entry details. If you need to make any changes or modifications, you have until 4 November to do so. From 5 November (inclusive) any modification to your entry or to linked services will be considered after the deadline and will involve a fee of €25 to cover management and bib reprinting costs.
Instagram video below from 2020, shows NN Running Team ready to race. The elite agency represents only the fastest distance runners in the world.
They’re ready, are you? Valencia Marathon, possibly the strongest field in marathon history.
— NN Running Team (@NNRunningTeam) December 4, 2020
6/12/20 pic.twitter.com/nPRizYBxSb
No changes will be made from 24 November onwards (whether through the online service or at Expo 42K Feria Valencia, the runners’ expo for the Valencia Marathon.”
A world-class course
The Valencia Marathon is considered one of the fastest races in the world challenging Berlin, London and Chicago for its speed.
During the 2023 running of the event, Ethiopian Sisay Lima set the course record at 2:01:48, the sixth-fastest performance in history. In 2022 Ethiopian Amane Beriso set the women’s course record at 2:14:58.
Only four men have ever run sub-2:02:00 to date. They are Kelvin Kiptum (2:00:35, 2:01:25 and 2:01:53). Eliud Kipchoge (2:01:09, 2:01:39) and Kenenisa Bekele (2:02:41). Two of those performances took place in Valencia, Lima’s 2:01:48 and Kiptum’s 2:01:53. Three took place in Berlin and one each in Chicago and London. Kiptum’s world record of 2:00:35 took place in Chicago. Ten of the top 50 times have taken place in Valencia, which started in 1981.
Two of the top 10 women’s times in history have happened in Valencia. Beriso’s performance and fellow Ethiopian Worknesh Degefa ran 2:15:51 in 2023. Ruth Chepngetich currently stands atop the record books. She holds the pending world record from October 13, 2024, with her 2:09:56 performance in Chicago. Eight of the top 50 women’s times in history are from Valencia. With its short history of an elite, world-class marathon, more is to come.
During the 2023 running of the event, there were 20 national records set. For 2024, 35,000 registered runners are expected to arrive. However, it is unknown how many hotels and Airbnbs south of the city were affected by the recent floods. The race will take place on Dec. 1, 2024.
Fukuoka International Marathon
The Fukuoka International Marathon was at one time considered one of the fastest in the world. To a degree it still is, however, the big money is in the Marathon Majors and Valencia. The course if fast and the fields continue to be elite, but it is no longer the fixture on the calendar that it once was.
Brett Larner, who writes for the publication Japan Running News posted this on Nov. 6, “The Dec. 1 Fukuoka International Marathon is the first of this winter season’s big selection races for the home soil team for next year’s Tokyo World Championships, and the domestic field is a great one.”
Larner has been writing for Japan Running News for over 20 years and is the domestic authority for all things athletics, especially road running in Japan.
“Kenya Sonota, 2:05:59 in Tokyo last year, and 2:06 men Yusuke Nishiyama, Yuya Yoshida, Kazuya Nishiyama and Daisuke Doi make up the main contenders to get a spot, with internationals Lemeck Too, Jie He, Bethwel Yegon, Vincent Raimoi, last year’s winner Michael Githae, and Shaohui Yang perfectly positioned to add momentum to the shot at the 2:06:30 Worlds standard that they’ll all be taking. Eight other Japanese men in the 2:07 to 2:09 range make it one of the most competitive Fukuoka editions in a long, long time.”
See the elite fields lined up for Fukuoka.
California International Marathon
The California International Marathon (CIM) takes place in Sacramento, CA. The course is ineligible for records and standards, however, the USATF uses the event for Americans to attempt to qualify for the Olympic and World Athletics Championships. The BAA Boston Marathon recognizes the race for runners to qualify for Beantown’s classic event.
CIM offers a fast course that is net downhill — but gently rolling — and point to point. While the weather can be unpredictable, a tailwind year offers an opportunity for athletes to run their fastest marathon.
This year’s event takes place on Dec. 8.
In 13 of the event’s 41 years (1983), American men have won the race, the latest being CJ Alberton in 2:11:09. The course record is held by Jerry Lawson with his 2:10:27 from 1993. The women’s course record is 2:26:02, set in 2022 by Paige Stoner. Seventeen of the 41 years an American has won.
Canadian’s have faired well in the event. Especially those from Western Canada, as the event is in the Pacific Time Zone. Seven times Canadian men have won the race. Bruce Deacon won thrice, once in a storm in 2001 in the time of 2:22:12 and in 1995 in 2:13:59 as well as a 2:15:16. Other Canadian winners include Dylan Wykes, Peter Butler, Graeme Fell, and Peter Maher. In contrast, no Canadian women have won the event, yet.
