16 Guadalajara only a few short hours before arriving at Plaça de la Marató to wait in his box for the starting gun to fire. “It's true, this is a marathon paradise”, he admitted between gasps, trying to recover while gulping down three or four bottles of water. Many reasons to run in Valencia Because, in addition to the Valencia Marathon's colourful finish line, what many discover is that, in this marathon paradise, you can run under a warm sun in the middle of December. If Valencia experienced a “super Sunday” of sport –the city woke up ready for an intense day due to the influx of spectators coming to watch the marathon and other major events held on the same day at various points along the route– it was also thanks to its residents. It seems there are three main reasons why international runners choose to run the Valencia Marathon: to run in the idyllic and sunny city of Valencia, to achieve a personal best, and to discover one of the most exciting marathons around. This is another of the great attractions of the race: “in Valencia, you'll never run alone”, exclaimed a British finisher overcome with emotion at having completed the race despite obvious knee pain that barely allowed him to continue. He probably wouldn't have finished the race if it hadn't been for the people who cheered him on during the last few kilometres. Just when the wall is wreaking havoc, Valencia is there to cheer everyone on, friends and strangers alike. Valencia is welcoming, and that is a distinguishing factor for those planning their itinerary and choosing which race to register for. Being a paradise for fast times is another, obviously. Valencia has also become exactly that: a true Garden of Eden for the most demanding athletes, whose dream is not just to cross this iconic finish line, but to do so with a new personal best to share with their loved ones. One of the flattest courses in Europe helps you fly and feel like a true sports star that everyone is watching. The encouragement provided by the more than 160 cheering stations is such that runners do not need a motivational playlist or state-of-the-art headphones. Just for a moment, ordinary runners are reincarnated as Joyciline Jepkosgei or John Korir. Because the African elite that puts Valencia on the professional running map is just as vital as the thousands who challenge themselves with all their personal stories tucked in their backpacks. The shout of jubilation on setting a world record is just as thunderous as that on fulfilling a personal dream against all odds. The fastest time run by a woman this year is just as worthy of celebration as the performances of the more than 8,000 women who put on their race bibs in Valencia. The stories of the 24,000 international runners resonate as much as those of the 7,000 Valencians who ran at home. The stories of running. In the capital city of marathon paradise.
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