Valencia has come a remarkable way as a running city. Its first official marathon was held in 1981, on the same day as the inaugural London Marathon, with 800 runners lining up for the start. Today, the Valencia Marathon is built for speed: its men’s course record stands at 2:01:48, set by Sisay Lemma in 2023, and runners finish on the spectacular footbridge over the water at the City of Arts and Sciences.