Therese Johaug wants to break the 41-year-old record in her first marathon

Johaug has informed the organizers of the competition that his target time is 2.21.05, says the Norwegian News Agency NTB. His manager Jörn Ernst has confirmed the information.

The Norwegian media described Johaug’s target time as a shock time.

The target time would be reduced by a second Ingrid Kristiansenin 2.21.06 of the Norwegian record in the name. Kristiansen ran his record in London in April 1985.

The race in Valencia is the first marathon of Johaug’s career. Participants announce their target times in advance, based on which they can plan their race pace.

Kristiansen recently doubted Johaug’s chances of breaking the Norwegian record. He estimates that Johaug will run 2:27–2:30 in Valencia. The assessment angered Johaug, who said he was “hell disappointed” by Kristiansen’s comments.

Johaugin had to face the European champion in Valencia Alisa Vainio. The Finnish Sports Federation said last week that Vainio will miss the race due to a torn gluteal muscle.

Johaug has shown great running condition this year. At the half marathon held in Copenhagen in September, Johaug ran a time of 1.08.43 and was the fastest European woman in the event. The result is 47 seconds below Vainio’s women’s half-marathon Finnish record of 1.09.30.

Johaug has also hinted at the possibility of competing in the marathon at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.