After the Sub-2 in London, What’s Your Goal? The Next Challenges for Runners in Portugal
On April 27th, the running world stopped.
In London, Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe crossed the finish line in 1:59:30 — becoming the first man to officially break the two-hour barrier in a marathon. Yomif Kejelcha followed in 1:59:41. On the same weekend, Portuguese athletes also made their mark on the European marathon circuit: Carlos Costa recorded the best time of the year by a Portuguese athlete in Hamburg, with 2:15:33.
It was a weekend that will go down in athletics history.
But it also raised a question for millions of runners around the world: what’s my sub-2?
Not literally. But the metaphor holds. Every runner has their own barrier — their number that seems impossible but, with the right training and the right race, stops being so.
In Portugal, there are races made for breaking those barriers.
What Sawe’s sub-2 teaches us about goals
There’s one detail in how Sawe ran London that’s worth holding onto: he didn’t go out too fast. He ran the first 10km at a controlled pace, built through the race, and in the final 10km did something most marathoners — amateur or elite — rarely manage: he accelerated.
Negative split. The second half faster than the first.
It’s the holy grail of the marathon. And it’s not exclusive to sub-2-hour runners — it’s the strategy of any runner who wants to run their best race, whether that’s 2:30, 3:30, or 5:30.
The lesson isn’t “run like Sawe.” It’s: choose a race that gives you the conditions to run your best time — and go prepared to run the second half faster.
The races in Portugal where barriers fall
Sub-4 hours in a marathon? — EDP Lisbon Marathon | 10 October
For many amateur runners, sub-4 hours is their personal “sub-2.” It’s the milestone that separates “someone who runs marathons” from “someone who runs marathons well.”
The EDP Lisbon Marathon is one of the best races in Europe to chase that number. The course is predominantly flat — start in Carcavelos, Atlantic coastline, Tagus riverfront, finish at Praça do Comércio. There’s wind, yes, but also a beauty that makes you forget the fatigue in the final kilometres.
This year the race has gained new status: it’s one of the eight founding members of the European Marathon Classics, the new circuit bringing together the most iconic marathons in Europe. Lisbon sits alongside London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Rome, Vienna, Copenhagen, and Warsaw.
For those chasing sub-4h, register early — the first 2,000 entries are priced at €70.
Sub-2 hours in a half marathon? — Porto Marathon | 8 November
The sub-2-hour half marathon barrier is the goal of an enormous number of regular runners. It’s challenging, achievable with consistent training, and carries real symbolic weight.
The Porto Marathon has a course widely recognised as one of the fastest in the country: flat, well-organised, passing through the Ribeira and the Foz. It’s the ideal race to end the season with a personal record — and celebrate properly in one of the world’s best cities for food and drink.
Start on November 8th at 08:00, near Sea Life on Via Castelo do Queijo.
First half marathon? — Douro Vinhateiro | 24 May
For those who haven’t yet run 21km and want their first time to be unforgettable, the Douro Vinhateiro Half Marathon is one of the best choices on the calendar. A unique course in the heart of the Alto Douro Vinhateiro — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — with terraced vineyards and views over the river.
The distance is realistic for someone who has been training for 3-4 months. And the scenery makes every difficult kilometre worth it.
First 10km under 50 minutes? — Corrida de Santo António | 7 June
The sub-50-minute 10km is a mark that defines a regular intermediate-level runner. It’s not easy — but it doesn’t require an elite athlete either. It requires consistency.
The Corrida de Santo António in Lisbon, with its course in Belém, is a fast race in a festive atmosphere. The energy of Lisbon’s June festivals helps. It’s hard not to run well when there’s music and people filling the streets.
Define your number
What made Sawe’s sub-2 historic wasn’t just the time. It was the fact that for decades it seemed impossible — and then, suddenly, it happened.
Your barrier exists. It might be sub-5 hours in the marathon, sub-25 minutes in the 5km, or simply finishing your first half marathon without stopping. The size of the number doesn’t matter. What matters is having a race on the calendar, a concrete goal, and a plan to get there.
In Portugal, the races exist. The calendar is full.
