When is the 2026 Valencia Marathon?

On Sunday 6 December 2026, for the 46th edition. First wave at 8:15 am, last at 9:35 am.

Where does the Valencia Marathon start?

From the Plaça de la Marató, near the City of Arts and Sciences, which is also where the finish is, on the blue walkway over the water. The nine waves start every ten minutes from 8:15 to 9:35 am; yours is shown on your bib and sent by email.

Where and when do you collect your bib?

At the Expo 42K, at Feria Valencia (Avenida de les Fires): Thursday 3 December, 5 to 9 pm, Friday 4, 9 am to 9 pm, Saturday 5, 9 am to 7 pm. No bibs are handed out on Sunday. Someone else can collect it for you if you registered them in your Área Runner, from 7 November.

How do you enter the 2027 Valencia Marathon?

The 2027 arrangements have not been published yet. For 2026, the previous year’s entrants had four days of priority right after the race, then a ballot was open to everyone from 16 to 26 December, free with a €5 card hold. Watch the official website from the day after the 2026 race.

What is the time limit?

5h30 from crossing the start line. Runners reaching km 25 after 12:57 pm must leave the race.

Marathon de Valence: how many weeks of preparation?

For an athlete at intermediate level, Endu builds a 17-week preparation. If your race is closer, the plan compresses phases while keeping the taper; if it's further away, it lengthens the preparation, and when the gap is large the preparation starts right away, gently and at your current volume, before building up.

How many sessions per week?

This example has 4 sessions per week. You choose 3 to 7 training days and the exact days (e.g. Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun): the plan sticks to them.

I'm a beginner, is this plan for me?

The plan adapts to your declared level (beginner to semi-pro): starting volume, progression and intensity change. Endu also offers a "Discovery" mode without a race to build a base first.

Can I follow sessions on my watch?

Yes, on Garmin and COROS. On Garmin, the Endu app (Connect IQ Store) shows today’s session and starts it as a guided workout. On COROS, link your account from your profile: your running, trail and cycling sessions land in the watch calendar. Other brands are not supported yet.

How much does it cost?

14-day free trial, then €7.99/month with no commitment or €59.88/year (€4.99/month). Unlimited objectives and sports.

Marathon de Valence 2026: date, course and training plan

42.2 kmValence2026 edition: 6 December 2026

The Maratón Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich is run on Sunday 6 December 2026 for its 46th edition. Its course, flat and at sea level, starts from the Plaça de la Marató, passes through the seaside Cabanyal district and the old town, and finishes on a walkway over the water at the City of Arts and Sciences. The course records are 2:01:48 for men (2023) and 2:14:00 for women (2025).

Your plan for Marathon de Valence

5 weeks to go: your plan starts this week, set to your level and free days, then adapts to your feedback after each session.

Your goal time?

14-day trial, cancel anytime.

Marathon de Valence at a glance

Date: 2026 edition: 6 December 2026
Formats: MarathonPlan below — 42.195 km on tarmac, World Athletics Platinum Label, course certified by AIMS and the RFEA. Start at 8:15 am in nine waves until 9:35 am, by target time. Time limit: 5h30 from crossing the start line, with a cut-off at km 25 at 12:57 pm. Open to those aged 18 and over on race day. 36,000 bibs: €80 for the first 10,000, then €180, plus a compulsory €5 one-day licence for anyone without a Spanish licence (RFEA or Valencian federation) or a Carnet del Corredor Plus.
Breakfast Run — A 5 km group run the day before, in the Turia gardens.
Registration: Full for 2026: all 36,000 bibs are gone. For this edition, the organisers introduced a ballot: four days reserved for 2025 entrants (11 to 15 December 2025), then free registration for the ballot from 16 to 26 December, alone or in groups of up to three, with a €5 card hold released after 15 days. The draw took place before a notary on 12 January 2026, followed by 12 days to pay for the bib. The 2027 calendar has not been published yet. Without a bib, there are the official waiting list (€200 plus the one-day licence) and the official tour operators. Name changes go only through the official platform, and a ballot bib that is given up goes back to the waiting list. Aiming for under 3:32 requires proof of a marathon, half, 15K or 10K time from the last three years. No deferral to the following year and no refund, except for injury with a medical certificate (75% until 6 September, 50% until 6 November) or the refund option taken at registration.
Official website: valenciaciudaddelrunning.com/maraton

The 2026 course

Start on the Plaça de la Marató, at the foot of the City of Arts and Sciences, at 8:15 am. The course heads for the port along Avinguda de Balears (km 1 and 2) and the Marina de València (km 3), runs up through the Cabanyal to Avinguda dels Tarongers and the Polytechnic University (km 5 to 7), then takes Avinguda Blasco Ibáñez (km 8) and loops north before following the Turia along the Passeig de l’Albereda (km 14) and past the Mestalla stadium (km 15). Back towards the sea via Blasco Ibáñez (km 16 and 17) and Avinguda dels Tarongers (km 19), halfway in the Cabanyal, then Avinguda del Port (km 22 and 23) leads back to Plaza de Zaragoza (km 25). The route follows the Turia gardens and enters the old town near the Torres de Serranos (km 28), crossing it to Carrer de Guillem de Castro (km 31). A loop to the west leads to the Bioparc (km 34), before the return via Avenida del Cid (km 38), Carrer de Xàtiva by the North Station and the bullring (km 39), the Porta de la Mar (km 40) and the Palau de la Música (km 41). The finish is on the blue walkway over the water at the City of Arts and Sciences. Altitude between 1.8 and 18 m.

What the race asks of your training

From late summer into autumn

To race on 6 December, a 16-week build-up starts in mid-August: the first long runs fall in the heat, the longest ones in October and early November. The organisers announce 12 to 17 degrees for the race: judge your level on the last, cooler weeks rather than on September sessions.

Flat from end to end

Altitude only varies between 1.8 and 18 m over the whole course. With no hill to break the rhythm, it all comes down to even pacing: ever longer marathon-pace blocks, threshold work, and long runs finished at target pace.

A wave based on your time

Waves start from 8:15 to 9:35 am according to your declared time. A half or a 10K run in September or October serves as proof to move to a faster wave (free change until 6 November) and gives you a realistic target pace.

Bottles, cups and gels

Nine aid stations serve water in small bottles and a sports drink in cups, with fruit from km 23; three points hand out gels, with or without caffeine, around km 16, 26 and 34 according to the official map. Try out in training whatever you plan to take during the race, and practise drinking without stopping.

The plan below prepares the Marathon format, for an athlete at intermediate level with 4 days available per week, with race day on 6 December 2026. Aiming for another format? Enter its distance when you create your plan, which will be calibrated on your level, your available days and your feedback after every session.

weeks: 17
sessions: 67
sessions / week: 4
peak week: 5.7 h

Plan structure

Periodised in phases: build the base, move to race-specific work, then taper before the race.

General preparation
Weeks 1–2 · 2 wk
Base
Weeks 3–7 · 5 wk
Build
Weeks 8–11 · 4 wk
Specific
Weeks 12–14 · 3 wk
Taper
Weeks 15–16 · 2 wk
Race week
Weeks 17–17 · 1 wk

Volume progression

Week by week: lighter recovery weeks are built in to absorb the load.

Wk	Phase	Hours	km
1	General preparation	3.3 h	33
2	General preparation	3.5 h	35
3	Baserecovery	2.7 h	27
4	Base	3.7 h	37
5	Base	3.9 h	39
6	Base	4.1 h	41
7	Baserecovery	3.2 h	32
8	Build	4.4 h	44
9	Build	4.6 h	47
10	Build	4.9 h	50
11	Buildrecovery	3.8 h	39
12	Specific	5.1 h	51
13	Specific	5.4 h	54
14	Specific	5.7 h	57
15	Taper	4.1 h	41
16	Taper	3.2 h	31
17	Race week	2.2 h	22

Sample week — week 9 (Build)

Real sessions from the plan with their targets. Each session is detailed step by step, and can be sent to a Garmin or COROS watch.

MondayEasy
30 min easy
30 min · 4.8 km
TuesdayHard
3 × 10 min at threshold
2 min jog recovery
1 h 01 · 11.4 km
FridayVery hard
6 × 600 m at MAS
2 min jog recovery
52 min · 9.6 km
SundayEasy
Long run 2 h 13
2 h 13 · 21.5 km

Example generated for a intermediate-level profile (MAS 15 km/h, 4 days available per week). Your plan will depend on your level, availability and feedback.

This plan’s check-up

Pass

A 17-week build (recommended minimum: 12); a longest run never more than 8% above the previous month’s; volume rising at most 7% from one week to the next; 89% of the time at easy effort; the longest session 3 weeks before the race; a taper cutting volume by 61% in race week.

2 worth knowing · 16 checks passed

Remarks

Strength training — No strength session.
Fueling — Long sessions (up to 160 min in this plan) are where race fueling is rehearsed.

The 16 checks passed, in detail

Length of the build — 17 weeks: enough for this race (recommended minimum: 12).
Sessions per week — 4 sessions a week: the minimum for this race is met.
Volume progression — Running volume rises at most 7% from one week to the next (a signal appears beyond 20%).
Long run increase — Each week, the longest run is at most 8% longer than the longest of the previous month (benchmark: 10%).
Lighter weeks — A lighter week comes back regularly (weeks 3, 7, 11, 15).
Weight of the long run — The long run keeps a reasonable share of the week.
Intensity distribution — About 89% of the time at easy effort: the most common distribution among trained endurance athletes.
Demanding sessions — No more than 2 demanding session(s) a week: suited to the level.
Hard days back to back — Demanding sessions are separated by easy days.
Rest days — At least one rest day a week.
Easy run pace — Easy runs are truly easy (slower than 5:43/km).
Race-specific work — 8 race-specific sessions in the last block.
Timing of the longest session — The longest session falls 3 weeks before the race: the right time.
Taper — Volume drops 61% in race week.
Intensity during the taper — Short race-pace efforts remain in the last two weeks.
Frequency during the taper — The number of sessions stays close to usual (100%).

Endu runs its own plans through the plan check open to everyone: same public rules, same thresholds, same sources. The rules and their sources, and a check of your own plan.

Why this plan works

Science-based periodisation

Base → build → specific → taper, with a recovery week every 3 to 4 weeks. Load goes up, but never two hard weeks in a row without a breather.

Paces, not vague feelings

Every session has target zones (pace, HR) computed from your MAS or a reference performance. A MAS test is built into the plan if you don't know yours.

A plan that listens

After each session you rate how it felt (RPE). Too hard? The plan eases what follows. Skipped a session? It reschedules or absorbs it.

On your watch

On Garmin with the Endu app, on COROS by direct sync: the guided workout shows up on your wrist, step by step.

Reviews

What our users say.

4.8/5

“I used to spend more time looking for a plan than following one. Now I have my sessions, I know what to do and I stick to it. Really glad I tried it.”
Thomas · Running
“Training for my first half marathon and honestly, I’m getting into it! I even look at my next sessions ahead of time, when before I was mostly looking for an excuse not to go out 😂”
Camille · Running
“Simple to follow and really handy with the watch. I start my session and off I go.”
Julien · Running
“I took Endu to prepare a trail race with friends. I really like having my week already organised: it motivates me and I enjoy my runs more.”
Émilie · Trail
“What I like is no longer asking myself a thousand questions before going for a run. I follow the plan and I enjoy training.”
Nicolas · Trail
“With work and the kids, I thought I’d struggle to follow a plan. In the end, having a structure helps me a lot. Running has found a real place in my week again, and it feels good!”
Julie · Trail
“A good find to prepare my swimrun! It’s nice to find a plan for this sport. I’ve recommended it to my teammate.”
Antoine · Swimrun
“I run more regularly and, above all, with more desire. For that alone, I’m delighted.”
Laura · Swimrun
“For triathlon, having all three sports in the same schedule really makes my life easier. I spend less time organising my training and I still enjoy following it just as much.”
Maxime · Triathlon
“At first I just wanted to try it. Now checking the next day’s session has become my little evening ritual 😊”
Sarah · Triathlon

Your plan, not a template athlete's

This plan is generated for an athlete at intermediate level with 4 days available per week. Yours will be calibrated on your MAS, your available days and your feedback after every session. 3 minutes. 14-day trial, cancel anytime.

Create my plan for Marathon de Valence