Terry and Helena Corcoran and Gary Clerkin took on one of Europe’s fastest and flattest courses the Valencia marathon, though the very warm Spanish conditions reminded them both that this was definitely not a winter race in Fermoy.
Here are their thoughts below:
Terry | The weekend started on Friday at the brilliant expo, where the atmosphere, organization, and sheer scale of the event set the tone for what promised to be an exciting race.
Helena added a twist of intrigue by not telling anyone in the club she was running. Her plan was to quietly run 42.2 km and then see how long it would take for the secret to be uncovered. Of course, running a marathon tends to attract some attention, but it made for a fun game of “will they notice?”
Both Corcorans rose to the challenge in style, coping with the heat and soaking up the fantastic atmosphere all the way to the finish line, both producing PBs in the process:
Terry 3:45:53 PB
Helena 4:18:34 PB
A brilliant weekend, fast running, sunshine, PBs, and one very entertaining attempt at secret marathon running!
Gary | Valencia Marathon | A Perfect Winter Race
Following London & Dublin this year, Valencia was the next stop on the road to Tokyo and completing the Six Star Majors. After months of cold, wet winter training, arriving in Valencia felt like a gift, mid-teen temperatures and ideal marathon conditions.
Valencia is a fabulous city and a superb marathon host. The course winds through stunning architecture and the old riverbed park, with incredible support throughout. It’s the flattest marathon I’ve run, fast, well organized, and stacked with quality across the field.
I went out aiming to get close to 2:45 and was on pace through 19–20 miles, but the legs didn’t quite have it on the day. Digging in, I was delighted to finish with another sub-2:50 in 2:49:51.
I went out aiming to get close to 2:45 and was on pace through 19–20 miles, but the legs didn’t quite have it on the day. Digging in, I was delighted to finish with another sub-2:50 in 2:49:51.
The finish alone is worth the trip, running across the water on the famous blue carpet, through the incredible City of Arts and Sciences, with huge crowds and an electric atmosphere. One of the best marathon finishes anywhere.
After finishing, it was great to head back out onto the course to support clubmates. A huge well done to Helena and Terry from Grange Fermoy AC.
A sub 2:45 will have to wait for another day and it will happen soon. A fantastic race, a beautiful city, and a perfect winter marathon.
Congratulations guys!! Fab results!!
