Valencia, October 25, 2026
Medio Maratón Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich Pacing Plan
Start and finish sit on Avinguda dels Tarongers by the City of Arts and Sciences, near the UPV and University of Valencia campuses; the course loops through the Camins al Grau and Algirós districts in its first third, then follows the Turia Gardens (the old riverbed park) northwest toward Ciutat Vella before returning to the start. Pancake flat and one of the world's fastest half courses: Yomif Kejelcha's 57:30 (2024, men's world best) and Letesenbet Gidey's 1:02:52 (2021, women's world record) were both set here.
Weather is a 10-year seasonal average for this course's location and month, not a forecast for a specific date. See FAQ.
Route shown is from the 2024 edition; next year's course hasn't been officially published yet.
Distance
21.4 km
Elevation gain
+22m / -27m
Typically run in
October
Typical race-day weather
17°C, 10 km/h
Elevation profile
Sample strategy: 1:45:00 goal
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KM 0-3: The field is packed and the road is flat, so the temptation is to go with the crowd. Hold at 4:53-4:59/km through this stretch and resist matching anyone surging past you. You bank nothing here, you're just staying out of trouble before the course starts to move.
KM 4-7: You hit slightly undulating terrain here, easing to 4:51 at km 4 before drifting back to 5:01 by km 7, the slowest kilometer so far. You cross 34:33 at km 7. Ride the small dips but don't chase the faster splits, this is still early and the pace should feel conversational.
KM 8-12: This is the fastest stretch of the whole course: a downhill km 8 at 4:46 with a tailwind, followed by more sub-4:50 kilometers at 11 and 12 as the tailwind holds. You cross 10K around 49:08 and 12K near 58:43. Use the tailwind and the favorable grade honestly, but don't let the free speed convince you the second half will feel this easy.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Valencia Half Marathon considered one of the fastest half marathon courses in the world?
The course gains just 22m and loses 27m over 21.4km, making it essentially pancake flat with no meaningful climbs to break rhythm. Combined with mild race-day conditions around 17.2°C and light wind of 9.7 km/h, these are ideal conditions for sustained fast pacing, which is why Yomif Kejelcha's 57:30 men's world best and Letesenbet Gidey's 1:02:52 women's world record were both set here.
Is even pacing or negative splitting the better strategy on this course?
Given the near-zero elevation change, even pacing is highly achievable here since there are no hills to force a slower first half or reward a faster second half. A slight negative split can still work well on the closing stretch through Turia Gardens back toward the finish, but the flat profile means most runners should aim to hold a steady pace throughout rather than bank time early.
What role does the Turia Gardens section play in pacing this race?
The course routes through the old riverbed park of Turia Gardens heading northwest toward Ciutat Vella before looping back to the start near the City of Arts and Sciences. This stretch is part of the flat middle-to-late section of the race, so pacing shouldn't need to change here: it's a good place to maintain rhythm rather than push or ease off.
How does Valencia's typical race-day weather affect pacing goals?
Typical conditions of around 17.2°C with wind near 9.7 km/h are mild and unlikely to significantly slow runners down or require major pacing adjustments. Light wind means minimal drafting concerns or added effort compared to windier courses, so pacing plans can focus almost entirely on the flat terrain rather than weather-driven caution.
Does the course's flat profile mean beginners can go out faster than usual?
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