Valencia Marathon 2026 shoes: a guide for runners flying in

Flat course, December air, a million euros on the table for a world record. No wonder Valencia is on so many UK and Irish race calendars. You have booked the flight and the hotel. Now for the one thing you really cannot forget: the shoes.

Valencia Marathon 2026: date, elite field and the record bonus

The 2026 Valencia Marathon is on Sunday 6 December. The elite field announced by the organisers in July:

• Men: John Korir (defending champion, 2:02:24), Alexander Mutiso, Dawit Wolde, Awet Kibrab.
• Women: Joyciline Jepkosgei (defending champion), Fotyen Tesfay, Emily Sisson.

Race patron Juan Roig keeps the one million euro bonus for a world record in 2026, for men and women alike.

Headliner Yomif Kejelcha will not be on the start line: the organisers announced his withdrawal through injury on 13 November.

What shoes won the Valencia Marathon?

We only name a model when at least two sources confirm it. Otherwise we give the brand.

Runner	2025 result	Shoes
John Korir	1st man	ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
Amanal Petros	2nd man	PUMA Fast-R Nitro Elite 3
Joyciline Jepkosgei	1st woman	ASICS Metaspeed Ray
Peres Jepchirchir	2nd woman	adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1
Chloé Herbiet	3rd woman	PUMA Fast-R Nitro Elite 3

For Jepkosgei, The Running Channel and BeUrban Running both give the Metaspeed Ray. Marathon Handbook describes an ASICS the brand had not yet identified.

London 2026: the shoe under two hours

On 26 April 2026 in London, Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 and Yomif Kejelcha 1:59:41, both in the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. None of the retailers we track sells it in your market right now.

And the Nike Apex that won New York? Nike says it goes on sale in January 2027. Too late for Valencia.

Best marathon shoes 2026 for your goal

A champion's shoe will not run the race for you. What matters is the pace you can hold for 42 km.

Chasing a time. This is where carbon-plated shoes pay off most: a very lively foam, a tall stack and a plate to keep it all stable. The trade-off: less stable once fatigue sets in, and they wear out faster.

Racing to finish. The slower the pace, the less the plate gives and the more stability counts. A tempo shoe, plated or not, gives you part of the feeling with more support. The last 10 km will thank you.

Not sure of your pace yet. The pace chart gives your splits, and the race time predictor a realistic goal from your recent results.

The podium's shoes, with today's delivered price in your country. When a model is not delivered there, the block shows the next race shoe instead:

And the rest of the race shoes, ranked by RunRank:

More: all marathon shoes, racing shoes, the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 vs 2 comparison, and the comparison tool to put two pairs side by side.

Flying to Valencia: shoe checklist

• Buy now, not at the expo. Your race shoes need one or two long runs before 6 December. Breaking in running shoes explains how.
• Check your size: brands do not all fit the same, and the size chart helps.
• Pack them in your hand luggage. A lost suitcase is a bad time to test a new pair.
• Order early: delivery time comes on top of breaking them in.

A quick word on how the site pays for itself: links to retailers are affiliate links. If you buy, the retailer may pay Runometry a commission. It never changes the price you pay or the order of the offers.

Sources

• Date and elite field: Valencia Ciudad del Running, 2 July 2026.
• World record bonus: El Debate, 7 December 2025.
• Kejelcha withdrawal: Valencia Ciudad del Running, 13 November 2026.
• London 2026: Marathon Handbook, Athletics Weekly.
• Valencia 2025 shoes: The Running Channel, 8 December 2025, Marathon Handbook, BeUrban Running, 9 December 2025.
• Nike Apex: Nike announcement, 30 September 2026.