Sydney

I ran my first World Marathon Major in 2018. Seven years later, I’ve completed 3/6 of the original races: Chicago, Berlin, and Tokyo. I’ve also finished Sydney, which Abbott added to the roster in 2025. That leaves three originals still to go: New York, London, and Boston. The question I keep coming back to is a simple one: can I complete the original six before 2028? That would be ten years start to finish — which sounds like a long time until you understand how the entry system actually works.

The TCS Sydney Marathon 2025 was always going to be a management exercise. Tendonitis near the calf, a multi-week eczema flare, three weeks of international travel — by the time race week arrived, the question wasn’t whether to PR but whether the body would hold together for 42km. It did. This is how that happened, and what running the inaugural World Marathon Major actually looked like from inside a broken build.

After living two years in Australia, I’ve found Sydney to be a runner’s paradise. Whether you want ocean views, leafy park loops, or a skyline backdrop, the city delivers. With coastal paths, iconic landmarks, and hidden green spaces, every run can feel like a mini-adventure. Here are my favorite routes.