My Sydney Marathon 2026: Four Days, New Connections and a 3:38:59 Finish

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Why not Sydney?

When I heard that Sydney had joined the World Marathon Majors, I was curious. I had never been to Australia. A marathon on another continent was a chance to discover somewhere completely new.

Making the trip together would have been too complicated for the family. Instead, we spent time in Vietnam before I continued to Sydney alone. My running plan was relaxed: roughly 3:45 to 4:00, finish healthy and experience the city on foot. Afterwards, I wanted to turn my focus to Berlin.

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Arriving alone, sharing the experience

Through Strava, I had connected with someone from the ASICS FrontRunner community and, through them, met another person in Sydney. We were already spending time together on Thursday. They were warm, open and honest; having arrived alone, that welcome meant a great deal to me.

After I arrived, we went to the expo. The queue was enormous, but time passed quickly in our little group. We collected our things, visited a few stores and had pizza that evening. A short shakeout run turned into roughly ten easy kilometres. Running through the city together and sharing the anticipation on that first day gave the trip something I would not have experienced on my own.

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Bondi Beach and room to breathe

On Friday we went to Bondi Beach, walked, ate well and took our time. The water was cold and the air was not particularly warm, but everything there felt right to me.

It was the feeling of the place: letting go, breathing freely and feeling unburdened for a moment. Then there were the people, whose friendliness had struck me from the time I arrived.

That Friday, one of my new acquaintances gave me a pair of Shokz headphones they had received from the brand at a shakeout run. We had known each other for such a short time, yet their generosity and warmth touched me. To this day, that gesture represents that person’s kind heart.

Back in the city, we visited pop-up stores, including Tracksmith. After pasta that evening, we went to the harbour near the Opera House. I barely saw the promised fireworks, but more people from the running community joined us and we talked under a clear sky. Venus shone particularly brightly; I checked its identity with an app. One person also had two unfortunate encounters with seagulls: first a hit from above, then a nugget snatched straight from their hand. Those moments stay with you too.

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A quiet Saturday before the race

I spent most of Saturday on my own, exploring the city centre, going for a shakeout run by the harbour near my hotel and eating plenty of pasta. By then, the weather was lovely.

After our days together, the quiet suited me too. I could follow my thoughts and prepare for the marathon without feeling rushed. Sydney was going to be a long run before I turned my attention to Berlin.

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An early, relaxed race morning

I got up very early on Sunday. It was still cool outside. Breakfast was four slices of toast with plenty of jam, a banana and a Maurten Drink Mix 320, which has become my usual breakfast before runs like this.

I took the train to the start and met my acquaintance again before we had to separate into different start blocks. I had brought a sweatshirt for the cool wait and donated it later. I felt good and unstressed.

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Over the bridge, faster than planned

The start made setting off feel easy: there is plenty of downhill running early on. That also makes it tempting to run faster than planned. Sydney Harbour Bridge was a particular highlight. Later, we ran among the high-rise buildings in the city centre and even passed my hotel. The spectators and beautiful weather carried me through the race.

I carried seven Maurten gels from the 100 range, five without caffeine and two with it, and took six. I drank water at every water station. It tasted slightly chlorinated to me, but I tolerated it well. My Nike Vomero Plus shoes caused no foot problems, and my stomach and equipment gave me no trouble either. The headphones I had been given worked wonderfully.

At first I largely stuck to my plan. In the second half, I let the atmosphere draw me along and increased my pace. I felt strong and did not find any section particularly difficult. At the finish, I felt I still had something left.

My official time was 3:38:59, faster than the planned 3:45 to 4:00. Above all, I was satisfied and proud. I am smiling in the finish-line photos, and that is exactly how I remember the race.

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A Sunday I wanted to make the most of

After finishing, I made a quick call to my family, took a few pictures and collected my medal. At the refreshment area, I waited for the others to join me.

We spent the rest of Sunday walking around Sydney, went for burgers and came across a small carousel near my hotel. That time together brought the trip to a lovely close. My legs still felt good on Monday as I flew back to Vietnam early that morning.

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My trip at a glance

Travel and stay: Vietjet from Da Nang via Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney. I stayed four nights, from Thursday to Monday, and returned by the same route early on Monday morning.

Flights: around €450 return when I booked. There was no entertainment or pillow on the long-haul flight, and the food was not a highlight for me. On my particular booking, the low fare came with compromises in comfort.

Hotel: W Sydney, booked at a lower cost by redeeming points through my Amex card. It was impressive and beautiful, but well above my usual standard. For me, it was a special luxury, rather than a requirement for the trip.

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My notes for a first Sydney Marathon

I would deliberately start under control. The early downhills make it easy to get carried away with the pace. I found the climbs less daunting than I had expected.

The water provision and paper cups worked well for me. I would check the weather forecast and prepare for the conditions of the particular race.

I would allow more time for the trip. Four nights gave me a lovely first impression, but they were too short for me. I would return and stay longer.

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What the finish time does not tell you

When I think of Sydney now, that positive feeling comes back first. For a few days, it was like being in a parallel world: new places, new people and room to breathe.

I am deeply grateful to the people with whom I got to share that time. A connection through Strava became shared experiences and memories that still mean a great deal to me. The marathon was the reason for the trip; our time together is what made it special.