With the floods in Valencia is the marathon in doubt?

@Fastrunner. People are angry, lots of them. The local politicians are sensitive to that now and if they want to save their heads, they won't want to give people anything new to latch on to. I lived in Valencia for 9 years many moons ago and visit often, and I'm sure they'll be talking at length with the authorities. On a sporting level, it's a no-brainer. They could run it right now. The policial optics is quite another matter though.

The two events both demand attention of local government & its officials. To go ahead would be to divert their attention and efforts towards an event that is (i) celebratory in tone when the city is in no mood for it, and (ii) is corporate by nature, thereby neglecting the needs of the outer-areas of the Valencia region where help is drastically required.

The marathon would bring money to the city region yes. But the economic boost would likely be highly concentrated in the city-zone - 'money talks' but help ought to be far more targeted than this.

The two are logistically, politically and ethically intertwined.

Maurice I know this is not true, so please don't spread these falsehoods.

Looks like I was right - the race IS going ahead as planned. Photos posted half an hour ago show the race preparations are underway in Valencia with construction going on:

https://x.com/superdeporte_es/status/1855966361702531140

What an insult to the hundreds of dead or missing.

The race will be won by a doper, too.

To organise such big events, a lot of logistics need to take place a long time upfront.

If they were to decide today or this week on to cancel or not, delivery of such goods will have to take place any way, they can't postpone everything until a decision is made. It's the same as saying "the t-shirts have already been made so they will for sure not cancel"

Rumor has it the elites have been told that the race is going ahead.

Incorrect.

I can confirm this is true

Stephen this does NOT confirm the race is happening. It does confirm for the timebeing usual is business. We need to wait for the authorities in Valencia to confirm.

Cool, very constructive.

Only time will tell, I also hope that I can run in Valencia in due time, but until we hear from any trustworthy source, or deduce from the fact that a few fences have been delivered, I remain neutral.

Feels like the organisers are kicking the can down the road until the decision is made for them by the local or national government and taken out of their hands

Did you also read the linked article?

With the damage caused by the DANA in everyone's mind, the organization of the Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich Marathon (...) must make a difficult decision: to continue or not with the Marathon. While waiting for the decision, the surroundings of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia are preparing in case this important athletics event finally takes place.

(google translate)

If it was 100% happening, as has been suggested, then you can be sure we would have received an email saying so.

The fact we haven’t means it must still be hanging in the balance (or it’s not happening and they’re trying to sort the logistics of a rescheduled date).

Either way I can’t imagine I’ll be on the start line. I’ll lose the money on the flights etc but it’s hardly the end of the world. Draw a line under this block and go again for a spring marathon somewhere.

Valencia are playing at home on Nov 23rd so don't really see the difference.

I imagine Christmas events will also carry on. All very sad though but not sure if a sunday morning marathon will affect anything for good or bad at the beginning of December

Today we expect an answer from the organisers.

We hope so ...we have to know what to do with flight and reservations ...lets hope that organisers will decide today ...

Do you think a cancellation this late may be the biggest distance running news story of this Olympic year?