Vitoria Runs: Martín Fiz Marathon Returns

Road running is the story here — but really this was a city-scale turnout. On Sunday, May 10, Vitoria-Gasteiz hosted the 23rd Martín Fiz Marathon, and the big news was not just who won. It was how big the thing has become. Ander Uribe Martínez and Miriam Picañol took the main 42K titles, while nearly 5,000 runners spread across the marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, and youth races. ### Who actually won? In the marathon itself, Uribe won the men’s race in 2:22:53 and finished well clear of Javier Pérez García in 2:32:10. Francisco José García Viñoly took third in 2:34:23. On the women’s side, Picañol won in 2:56:48, which matters because it put the female winner under three hours on a day when the event was also trying to show off its competitive edge, not just its festival vibe. (noticiasdealava.eus) ### Was this mainly an elite race? Not really — basically the opposite. The half marathon was the biggest draw with 2,081 entrants. The 10K had 1,581. The full marathon had 915, and the 5K had 297. That tells you what kind of event this is becoming: a broad public running festival with a serious marathon on top, not a niche marathon that happens to allow shorter distances. (rutarunning.com) ### Why does the turnout matter? Because it was up sharply. Pre-race figures showed participation rising 20% from 2025, and the event sold out across all distances by April 30. That is a strong signal for a regional race. It means demand outran supply before race day even arrived, which usually happens when a local event has moved into the “plan your spring around it” category for runners. (noticiasdealava.eus) ### What made this edition feel bigger? The women’s field is a big part of that answer. Organizers and local coverage highlighted a record 1,800 female participants. Women were even the majority in the 10K and 5K. That changes the feel of an event. It stops looking like a specialist endurance contest and starts looking like a citywide sports day with a much broader base. (gasteizhoy.com) ### Where did the race run? The route started from Mendizorroza at 8:30 a.m. and cut through central Vitoria-Gasteiz, including spots like Plaza de los Fueros, Virgen Blanca, Florida, and streets around Artium and Olaguíbel. Only the half marathon and marathon went through the city center in full, which gave the longer races the postcard section while keeping the shorter events simpler. (noticiasdealava.eus) ### Why is Martín Fiz still the draw? Because this is not just a race using a famous name. Fiz is from Vitoria-Gasteiz, won the 1995 world marathon title, and still turns up as part of the event’s identity. He even ran the 10K this year at age 63, finishing in under 39 minutes. That keeps the race tied to a local legend — but without feeling like a museum piece. (gasteizhoy.com) ### So what changed this year? The clearest shift is scale. The title sponsor changed to Elproex, the event sold out, participation climbed, and the race kept building beyond its marathon core. Turns out the Martín Fiz Marathon is now doing two jobs at once — honoring a hometown great and functioning as one of northern Spain’s bigger popular running weekends. (maratonmartinfiz.com) ### Bottom line? This was a marathon weekend that looked more mature than nostalgic. The winners gave it sporting credibility, but the real story was the crowd — bigger, broader, and more balanced than before. (noticiasdealava.eus) (maratonmartinfiz.com)