When you’re the reigning Olympic triathlon champion, every step away from the blue carpet invites curiosity – but Alex Yee’s decision to pursue another big marathon test in Valencia this weekend feels less like a detour and more like a natural extension of the engine that has shaped his career.
Yee had always wanted to race the London Marathon – and in the year after his Olympic triumph that wish became a reality in April.
By any reckoning his time of 2:11:08 on his 26.2-mile debut on home roads was hugely impressive – but he’s clearly out for more as he rounds out 2025 at the Valencia Marathon on Sunday, renowned as one of the quickest in the world, before putting the focus back on swim, bike and run next year.
RELATED CONTENT: How to watch Alex Yee live at the Valencia Marathon
He’s been documenting his progress on his YouTube channel with the excellent ‘Vamos’ series and there were lots of encouraging signs in the latest episode, which is embedded below.
Knowing the unknowns
After his debut in London, Yee says the biggest shift between then and now is simply having gone through the experience, saying: “The fundamental thing between London and now is that I’ve been able to race that marathon for a first time.”
It’s classic Yee – understated, analytical, but revealing. That race, he explains, opened a door in his understanding of the distance: “I feel that in itself has taught me so much that I can now apply to Valencia… I definitely feel that I have a bit more belief in myself that I can deliver over that distance which is a really nice place to be in.”
His Olympic gold was rounded off by a devastating run leg but being competitive over 42.2km rather than 10km is a very different challenge and he has spent the last few months building up to that alongside training partners Phil Sesemann and Emile Cairess, both world-class marathon specialists.
And while Yee knows nothing is guaranteed at this distance, he recognises that control matters: “You never know whether that’s going to deliver come race day but you can definitely control things which put the marathon gods ever so slightly more in your favour,” he explains.
Practice makes perfect
In the video coach Adam Elliott set Yee a simulation session designed to mimic the emotional and physiological stress of race day, explaining: “The aim today is to go through the half marathon in roughly the time he wants to do in Valencia.”
Yee called the session “purposeful”, describing pre-run feelings of anticipation and a little bit of nerves – exactly what he wanted, because it mirrors the mindset of a major start line.
And the result was quietly significant: aiming for 64 minutes, Yee hit 63:18, with a smooth average heart rate of 164bpm. “It felt very comfortable… and it’s definitely nice to be able to execute things a little bit faster than planned,” he explained afterwards.
But there was no hint of complacency as he added: “I’m no stranger to experiencing that the race doesn’t really start until about 30k. This is all about physical and mental preparation for the race itself.”
Triathlon lens: why this matters
Yee’s marathon evolution is more than a side project. It speaks directly to the qualities that made him the best triathlete in the world – hard work on every aspect, patience, precision, and the willingness to step into uncertainty in search of growth. In a sport where the run leg increasingly decides World Championships and Olympic medals, refining his marathon potential only strengthens his long-term trajectory.
And who knows, if Yee is near to his target time of 2:07-2:08 in Valencia then he would be very much in the picture in terms of the Team GB Olympic qualifying time for the marathon – if that were something he wants to pursue.
Looking ahead to Sunday, Yee says: “The plan is just to get to the point where I’ve executed all my processes as best I can and be able to stand on that start line excited about the unknown that’s about to unfold.”
And he finishes with the line that will resonate across both triathlon and marathon communities: “I have confidence that I’m in the best place I’ve ever been – and that definitely is something which excites me.”
