Fastest Marathons in Spain – 2026 Edition
The definitive listing of the fastest road marathons in Spain for sub-3-hour runners, informed by the Sub-3 World Marathon Rankings 2026.
Spain is one of the strongest marathon nations in the world for sub-3 performance, combining exceptional depth at the very top with a small but highly competitive supporting calendar. Of Spain’s 11 qualifying marathons in the Sub-3 World Marathon Rankings, the leading races operate at a genuinely elite level rather than merely dominating domestically.
At the summit, Valencia is ranked as the fastest marathon in the world in the Sub-3 World Marathon Rankings 2026, setting the global benchmark for sub-3 depth, scale, and consistency. Seville also sits comfortably inside the global top 10, reinforcing Spain’s status as a core pillar of the international sub-3 landscape rather than a one-race outlier.
What sets Spain apart is the clarity of its hierarchy. The top tier is unmistakable: Valencia stands alone, Seville and Barcelona deliver scale and depth in different ways, and San Sebastián and Málaga round out a compact group of races that consistently produce strong sub-3 outcomes. Maratón Internacional Elche-Alicante is not too far behind.
Below are the five fastest marathons in Spain for the 2026 edition, ranked using Sub-3’s standard methodology.
Top 5 Fastest Marathons In Spain
🥇 Maratón Valencia
Valencia tops the Spanish rankings by combining exceptional scale with unrivalled sub-3 depth. In 2025 it produced 5,333 sub-3 finishers from 30,669 total finishers (17.4%), alongside a 2:02:23 winning time. Its flat course, December scheduling and highly competitive field have made Valencia the benchmark for fast marathon performance worldwide.
→ View full profile: Maratón Valencia
🥈 Maratón de Sevilla
Seville ranks second by delivering elite sub-3 density from a far smaller field. In 2025 it recorded 1,655 sub-3 finishers from 10,721 finishers (15.4%), supported by a 2:05:15 winning time. The combination of favourable timing, course design and concentrated competitive field makes Seville one of the most reliable sub-3 marathons globally.
→ View full profile: Maratón de Sevilla
🥉 Marató Barcelona
Barcelona earns third place through sheer volume of fast performances. In 2025 it produced 1,842 sub-3 finishers from 21,706 runners (8.5%), alongside a 2:04:13 winning time. While its sub-3 proportion is lower than Valencia or Seville, the scale of the field ensures Barcelona remains one of Spain’s most significant high-performance races.
→ View full profile: Marató Barcelona
4️⃣ San Sebastián Marathon
San Sebastián stands out for efficiency rather than size. In 2025 it recorded 533 sub-3 finishers from 5,127 total finishers (10.4%), placing it among Spain’s strongest races by sub-3 proportion. Its smaller field consistently delivers a high concentration of fast amateur performances.
→ View full profile: San Sebastián Marathon
5️⃣ Maratón de Málaga
Málaga completes Spain’s top tier by balancing scale and depth. In 2025 it produced 636 sub-3 finishers from 7,497 finishers (8.5%), alongside a 2:06:08 winning time. Its steady growth and reliable sub-3 output place it clearly above Spain’s remaining races for sustained fast performance.
→ View full profile: Maratón de Málaga
2026 Full Listings Table
| # | MARATHON | CITY | % SUB-3S | # SUB-3S | TOTAL FINISHERS | WINNING TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maratón Valencia | Valencia | 15-20% | 5,000+ | 30-40k | 02:02:23 |
| 2 | Maratón de Sevilla | Seville | 15-20% | 1,000-2,000 | 10-20k | 02:05:15 |
| 3 | Marató Barcelona | Barcelona | 5-10% | 1,000-2,000 | 20-30k | 02:04:13 |
| 4 | San Sebastián Marathon | San Sebastián | 10-15% | 500-1,000 | 3-10k | 02:22:35 |
| 5 | Maraton Malaga | Malaga | 5-10% | 500-1,000 | 3-10k | 02:06:08 |
| 6 | Maratón Internacional Elche-Alicante | Elche to Alicante | 5-10% | 200-500 | 3-10k | 02:12:53 |
| 7 | Maraton de Zaragoza | Zaragoza | 5-10% | 50-100 | 1-3k | 02:18:28 |
| 8 | Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Madrid | Madrid | 2-5% | 200-500 | 10-20k | 02:09:11 |
| 9 | Palma Marathon | Palma | 2-5% | 10-50 | 1-3k | 02:31:47 |
| 10 | Lanzarote Marathon | Costa Teguise | 2-5% | 10-50 | 1-3k | 02:33:01 |
| 11 | Ibiza Marathon | Port of Ibiza | <1% | <10 | 1-3k | 02:19:59 |
About These Rankings
These rankings present the Spanish section of the Sub-3 World Marathon Rankings, drawing on verified results from marathons held between January and December 2025. Each race is scored using Sub-3’s 45:45:10 model, which weights the proportion of sub-3 finishers, the total number of sub-3 performances, and the fastest winning time. Together, these measures allow for consistent comparison across events of very different sizes and profiles. You can read more about the methodology behind the global rankings on our Rankings Methodology page.
Missing a Marathon?
We include open-entry road marathons in Spain with at least 1,000 finishers and publicly verifiable results. Elite-only events and races without published finisher data are excluded from the Sub-3 World Marathon Rankings, and therefore from this Spanish edition. If you believe an eligible marathon has been missed, please get in touch.