Valencia Marathon: John Korir added to Field and the Big Payout Announcement
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The focus of the global running calendar shifts to the flat, fast course of the Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich this weekend, December 7, 2025. Widely recognized as the fastest marathon course in the world, the race has attracted an elite field specifically designed to challenge its existing, historic records.
The current course records—2:01:48 for men, set by Sisay Lemma in 2023, and 2:14:58 for women, set by Amane Beriso in 2022—rank among the fastest times ever recorded globally. The depth of the 2025 roster suggests both marks face their most serious threat yet, driven in part by a massive structure of performance-based prize money, including a seven-figure incentive for a historic performance.
High Stakes: The Performance Prize Structure
The Valencia Marathon aggressively incentivizes speed and record-setting. The base prize money and course record bonuses are substantial, but the ultimate carrot is the massive bonus reserved for a World Record attempt.
The following is a breakdown of the key financial incentives available to the elite athletes:
Course Record Bonus: A bonus of 30,000 Euros is awarded for setting a new men's (sub-2:01:48) or women's (sub-2:14:58) course record.
Winner's Time Bonus (Max): A maximum bonus of 75,000 Euros is available for winning the race under 2:04:30 (Men) or 2:20:00 (Women).
The World Record Goal: Valencia offers a spectacular bonus of 1,000,000 Euros for breaking either the Men's World Record (2:00:35) or the Women's World Record (2:09:56). While these times are extremely ambitious, the sheer size of the prize underscores Valencia's stated ambition to host the fastest marathon performance in history.
The overall prize purse, potentially exceeding 400,000 Euros plus bonuses, confirms the event's stature in the global elite running circuit.
The Women’s Race: A Clash of Champions for the 2:14:58 Mark
The women’s field is characterized by a high concentration of championship talent, setting the stage for a duel that will place direct pressure on Amane Beriso's 2:14:58 course record.
The Fight for the Title
John Korir (KEN): John goes after it after his DNF in Chicago. Will he break the world record?
Amane Beriso (ETH): Beriso returns to the site of her career-defining performance. Her 2:14:58 is currently the third-fastest women's marathon time in history. Her intimate knowledge of the course—a flat, single loop designed for efficiency—makes her a formidable defense against any challenge.
Peres Jepchirchir (KEN): The reigning Olympic Gold Medalist arrives in superb form. With a personal best of 2:16:16, Jepchirchir is a tactical runner whose competitive drive is legendary. Her presence ensures a consistent, high-pressure pace from the lead pack, making a late-race slowdown highly improbable.
With multiple women in the field holding personal bests under the 2:17 mark, the initial pacing will be aggressive. This depth is the critical factor that pushes the boundaries of the course record, as the elite athletes can share the demanding workload required to run in the 2:14 to 2:15 range.
The Men’s Race: Sisay Lemma and the Pursuit of Sub-2:02
The men’s field is designed for a pursuit of ultimate speed, headlined by the man who currently holds the men's record.
The Attack on 2:01:48
Sisay Lemma (ETH): Lemma aims to defend and improve upon his 2:01:48 course record, a performance that solidified his standing as one of the fastest marathoners of all time. Following a non-finish at the Boston Marathon this year, a strong performance in Valencia is crucial to his next championship cycle.
Depth and Pacing: The real engine for a potential record is the extraordinary field depth. Over ten men possess personal bests under the 2:05:00 mark, including athletes like Hailemaryam Kiros (2:04:35 PB) and Hillary Kipkoech (2:04:45 PB). The planned halfway split is set for an aggressive 60:00 to 60:10, a target that positions the lead pack to challenge the 2:01:48 mark and potentially secure the 30,000 Euro course record bonus.
The combination of Lemma’s ambition and the deepest sub-2:05 field of the year suggests that a performance approaching the 2:01:00 barrier is a realistic possibility.
American Contingent: Chasing the International Standard
Beyond the battle for the podium and the record bonuses, the Valencia Marathon serves as an indispensable international proving ground for American long-distance runners.
Several top U.S. athletes, including Keira D’Amato (2:19:12 PB), Emma Bates (2:22:10 PB), and Lindsay Flanagan (2:23:31 PB), are using the guaranteed world-class pacing to push for significant lifetime personal bests. A successful outing on the fast Valencia course is a critical metric for their standing against international competition and their preparation for the coming year.
The Valencia Marathon is poised to deliver yet another weekend of historic running. The final times will not only determine the winners but may also establish new benchmarks for the sport.