Valencia Marathon: Travel advice please

[redrabbit29]

Hey,

I think this is a sports question more than it is a travel question

I have entered my first ever marathon on Sunday 3rd December in Valencia. I was going to book flights and an air bnb but it is very expensive, despite trying to get in there earlier.

My plan is:

Friday: Arrive in Valencia
Saturday: Get racepack and maybe do the 5k shakeout run (or not depending on how I feel)
Sunday: Run
Monday: Return home

Options & Questions

1) Is this a reasonable plan or should I just arrive Saturday and come home Monday or something else? I've never done a marathon, particularly abroad so not sure how I will feel (other than achey!)

2) A popular travel site have some fairly good packages, with hotels and flights for around £550 each - there are two of us so that is over £1k each which is quite a lot

3) Some online said you can fly into Madrid and then get a train to Valencia which takes 2 hours. It's a lot cheaper but not sure it's sensible as it may just be a total ballache.

4) Any other thoughts or tips for this trip being it is my first marathon, particularly in considering how I may feel before/after? I will have to be careful with the walking and although it's a "city break", I will not be spending the day before walking miles and miles.

Thanks all

Edited by redrabbit29 on Wednesday 29th March 09:02

[Challo]

Have you looked at flights direct to Valencia? Not sure where you are based, but EasyJet from Gatwick is ok price wise.

Keep an eye out on hotels as well, might work out cheaper than Airbnb. It’s a lovely city, perhaps do the city bus on the Saturday and keeps you off your feet.

[The jiffle king]

The travel is one thing.

Another is making sure that you have the right meal for breakfast and you may need to take it with you. If you have porridge, make sure the room has a microwave and other such simple things to think about. Some hotels won't open breakfast in time (Although some will do it especially for a marathon but do check)

Think about your evening meal as in Spain the mealtimes are much later, so try to find a place which serves the food you want (Pizza/Pasta I guess)

I would fly in Friday and give yourself time to adjust and get things sorted like collecting your number

[Muzzer79]

The day before, you want to be doing as little as possible - long train journeys and the like I wouldn't recommend.

The day after you will ache quite considerably. I wouldn't recommend walking long distances but a flight home should be achievable.


Stay as close to the venue as you can afford.

I did London and stayed a short walk from a Tube station, followed by a 15 minute Tube ride away. That was fine.

[Harpoon]

Some good points already. I'd very much agree that you minimise effort / stress the day before. It's temping to do the tourist thing and end up walking miles. If you can arrive on the Friday, I would, as then you know you have a lazy day to get your race pack and aren't worrying if a flight is delayed (if you arrived Saturday).

A rental does give you flexibility on the food front. I once smuggled a microwave into a Travelodge so two of us could have porridge for breakfast before the Great North Run If you've trained on a particular breakfast and are happy in terms of running on it (ie no GI distress!), finding that a hotel only offers you a couple of pastries is going to put you on the back foot before you've even got to the start line IMHO.

Post race, if you end up anything like me, walking is very difficult so exploring the city on foot might be a slow and painful shuffle!

[MesoForm]

Harpoon said:

Some good points already. I'd very much agree that you minimise effort / stress the day before. It's temping to do the tourist thing and end up walking miles. If you can arrive on the Friday, I would, as then you know you have a lazy day to get your race pack and aren't worrying if a flight is delayed (if you arrived Saturday).

I'm running the Palma half in October and I'm arriving on the Friday for the same reason - I just don't need the stress the day before and if anything goes wrong with flights or I forget to pack my running shoes I have a day to sort it.

[redrabbit29]

Challo said:

Have you looked at flights direct to Valencia? Not sure where you are based, but EasyJet from Gatwick is ok price wise.

Keep an eye out on hotels as well, might work out cheaper than Airbnb. It’s a lovely city, perhaps do the city bus on the Saturday and keeps you off your feet.

Prices are around £300 per person return, leaving on Friday and returning Monday. That is Gatwick to Valencia.

I may look at Expedia - although it is about £500 per person including hotel. So possibly not a cost saving there.

[Mark-C]

Did this a few years ago but made a bit more time for it. Fly in and out of Alicante on the cheap and stay there Wednesday to Tuesday so a week away. Train to Valenicia on Saturday, stayed one night in a hotel and train back after the race on Sunday.

It's a flat but dull course but plenty of support to see you through it.