Valencia marathon 2024: a tale of two runners
In December 2024, two of our club members ventured over to Spain to take part in the world-renowned Valencia Marathon. Both trained hard, both felt ready….. however they had two very different race day experiences. Read on to experience Valencia marathon from two very different perspectives……
Laura’s story
I am your classic, nervous, self-doubting runner. Only 3 years ago you would’ve heard me swear that I could never complete a marathon! Somehow, I managed to get past that hurdle in 2023, and Valencia Marathon 2024 was set to be my fifth race over the marathon distance, but my first ever race abroad. Even then, I was far from confident in the run up to the race
Sharon and I had spent the best part of 2024 thinking about the race, planning for it and worrying about it too! Fortunately for me, Sharon is an experienced flyer and did all of our travel admin for us. However, I still spent the month before the race fretting about luggage sizes and whether I would be able to travel with all of my beloved energy gels!
Travel wasn’t my only worry either; I was very concerned about the weather. Whilst it had seemed a great idea to do a December race in Spain, the reality of running a marathon in 20˚C heat began to feel quite intimidating-especially as it became very cold in the UK in the immediate run up. I am a cold weather runner and really struggle in even moderately warm weather (why did I enter this race again?). And finally, my main worry was my ever-present fear of not being good enough. This fear has dogged me throughout my years of running, and has frequently resulted in me giving up part way through races. I knew my training had gone well, and I was running faster than I had done in a long time. However, rather than give me confidence, this left me terrified that I would really let myself down! I was scared that people expected me to do well and that meant I put an insane amount of pressure on myself. Quite a few people were at the receiving end of some semi-defeatist texts the night before the race!
But as we all know….race morning eventually arrives. I think it’s the waiting before the race that makes me the most nervous. It was a long drive to Valencia-lots of time to come up with the classic pre-race excuses! Then a long (and I mean really long) walk to the start line. I probably made this longer by insisting on visiting what felt like every portaloo in Valencia! Before we knew it, I was taking my start line gel and off we went.
We had struggled to get to the start line and ended up starting behind the 5 hour pacer, so I had a few quick wins early on when I overtook the 5 hour and 4:30 hour pacers. The 4:15 pacer seemed impossibly far away. Eventually, after getting past the crowds, I settled into a rhythm and my usual long run mental strategies kicked in. Everything was in 30-minute blocks (from gel to gel) and all I focussed on was the next 30 minutes. Over and over and over. I was running slightly faster than planned, and faster than I’d ever run over this distance, but I was metronomic. With music blasting in my ears, I was effectively in some sort of flow state as the miles ticked away. I couldn’t tell you anything about the city of Valencia as my mind was 100% focussed on running. Regular temperature reading displays confirmed my fears that the temperature was slightly hotter than usual-however I didn’t feel too hot. I don’t know why the heat didn’t affect me that much. Maybe because I religiously took at least a sip of water every mile, or because I told myself to sip every time I felt hot? Perhaps it was because I had refused to take my hoodie off the whole of the previous day? Whatever it was, I am incredibly grateful to my body for regulating itself so well.
Miles ticked away and suddenly it was 22 miles. I realised I hadn’t stopped once, and I was determined not stop now! Maybe I could even speed up? And then I saw them….At long last the 4:15 pacers came into view and I just knew I was going to sail past them. I kept going…I knew the end was in sight! I’d already clocked that I was going to be covering slightly more than 26.2 miles so I held back and at approximately1 mile to go I made my final surge. I couldn’t believe what my legs were achieving as I sped onto the blue carpet and across the finish line. I’d never done a marathon without stopping before and my body and brain felt so confused when I finally allowed it to come to a stop! It was a 37 minute PB! A time I had never before thought possible for me! I got my medal, completed an insanely long walk to get my bag from bag drop (which I hate to admit might have actually been quite good for my legs) and then frantically consulted the tracking app to see where Sharon was.
I’d had tracking updates all throughout the race and had seen that she’d had a great start but that something had happened. When I saw she’d finished the race I did a little cheer (in the middle of Valencia). But then I didn’t hear anything from her. I rang but got no answer, and I was becoming quite worried. I was relieved when I did finally hear where she was, and very grateful to those who stopped to help her. I hope I would make the same choice in their shoes. I am so proud of what Sharon managed to achieve. She never gave up and she just kept going, even when it felt so very hard. All the way on our long journey back Sharon managed to remain in good spirits and never made me feel in any way uncomfortable about the fact that I had a very different experience. I’m very pleased that it all came together on the day for me, but if that isn’t the case one day in the future, I hope I can channel my inner Sharon!
Sharon’s story
On December 1st, 2024, I embarked on my fifth marathon, a journey that took me to the vibrant city of Valencia, Spain, alongside my friend Laura. This was Laura's first European marathon and my second abroad, and we were ready to embrace the experience despite the challenges ahead.
Our adventure began at the BA lounge, where we navigated the airport with excitement and anticipation. It was a bit of a shame we couldn’t indulge in any pre-race drinks, but we both knew the importance of being in peak condition for the marathon. The two-hour drive from our accommodation to the race venue was a stark reminder of the recent horrific flooding in the area. As we drove through, it was a reality check to see the aftermath of the disaster and the impact it had on the community. Our hearts went out to those who had lost their lives and their loved ones.
Having trained hard leading up to this event, I felt I was in the best shape I'd ever been for a marathon. I relied on SIS gels for energy and carried a hydration system with a drinking tube to keep myself fuelled and hydrated throughout the race. However, in my eagerness to stay prepared, I ended up carrying more water and gels than I had trained with. This extra weight may have contributed to the strain on my back during the race, reminding me of the golden rule: never introduce anything new on race day that you didn’t practice during training.
The atmosphere on race day was noticeably quieter compared to the bustling energy of the London and Chicago Marathons I had previously run. While there were moments of excitement, the overall vibe felt more subdued, which made for a different kind of experience. The journey to the start line was an adventure in itself. We were assigned to wave 11 and had to walk quite a distance to reach our starting position. Along the way, we made seven pit stops to ensure our bladders were empty, which only added to the anticipation. Finally, we arrived at the start line, and before we knew it, we were off! In my excitement to get going, I found myself picking up the pace, but Laura wisely called out to me to slow down—her reminder was just what I needed.
As the race began, I started off strong, following Laura for the first couple of miles. The energy of the crowd and the beautiful surroundings made every step enjoyable. I was sticking to my plan—taking gels and sipping on hydration fluids every mile, feeling great as I maintained a steady pace. However, as the miles ticked by, the heat began to take its toll.
By the halfway mark, I faced a setback when I had to stop and apply a plaster to a blister on my foot. After a brief pause, I was back on track, feeling reinvigorated. My family was strategically positioned at several spots along the route, their cheers providing much-needed motivation. However, as I approached mile 17, fatigue began to creep in. Despite my determination to keep pushing, my back started to ache, and by mile 23, I found myself alternating between running and walking.
The last mile became a test of willpower. In other races I had seen runners being carried across the finish line, and in a moment of desperation, that became my reality. A kind-hearted lady sacrificed her own time to assist me, calling on another runner to help. I remember repeatedly asking, "Are we there yet?" as the finish line felt like a distant dream. The blue mats I had envisioned crossing seemed to blur into the background, and before I knew it, I was in the medical tent receiving first aid.
Finally, I received my medal. While my goal of finishing in 4:30 didn’t happen this time, I was proud to have completed the marathon in under 5 hours. This experience was just one part of my marathon journey—not the ending I had envisioned. Laura’s blog about her experience was uplifting, and I was inspired by her hard work and dedication. I’m incredibly proud of her accomplishments; she trained diligently and truly earned her success.
My family watched in concern, suggesting that perhaps I should never run again and even joking (or where there serious) about throwing my trainers away. But even in the midst of that moment, I was already planning a 50-miler with my friend in Chicago. I soon realized, however, that this was not my year for that challenge. Instead, I decided to shift my focus to achieving a solid half marathon and improving my times in the 5K and 10K races.
As I reflected on what went wrong, I pondered several questions: Was it dehydration? The extra driving? The stress of race prep? Did the added weight of the extra water and gels contribute to my struggles? While I may not have all the answers, I’ve learned valuable lessons about listening to my body and recognizing my limits.
Despite the challenges, I refuse to let this experience define my running journey. I plan to focus on building my distance and strength this year, with the hope of tackling another marathon next year. Running is not just about the finish line; it’s about resilience, growth, and the lessons learned along the way.
Here’s to the next adventure—one step at a time!
