Records and roads closures: Everything you need to know about the Sydney Marathon

3 weeks ago 11

When a record 35,000 participants take part in the Sydney Marathon on Sunday, they’ll be the first to attempt the seventh world major marathon.

As Sydney asserts itself among the other major host cities – New York, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, Boston and London – here’s everything you need to know from who is running, to records and road closures.

The race will follow the original Sydney 2000 Olympics marathon course over the Harbour Bridge.

Who is running

Leading the line, and those to look out for, are two-time Olympic gold medallist Eliud Kipchoge and three-time Olympic gold medallist Sifan Hassan.

Australians Brett Robinson, Tom Do Canto, Sam Clifford, Jessica Stenson, Lisa Weightman, and Leanne Pompeani are also in the pot of elite runners taking on what could be the most difficult major of all.

Workenesh Edesa from Ethiopia, is aiming to defend her first-place finish from 2024 when she broke the long-standing record for the fastest marathon run by a woman in Australia, a time set at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Her time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, and 41 seconds will be tested on Sunday.

Alongside the big names are tens of thousands of everyday people who managed to score a spot at the most competitive entry to a Sydney Marathon since it was first opened to the public in 2001. While only 5000 runners entered in 2021, a whopping 79,000 runners vied for just 35,000 spots this year. More than half of the 2025 field will be Australian participants.

How fast will the best athletes run?

Although it will take the best athletes more than two hours to finish the race, you shouldn’t be fooled. The best will be running very fast. Crazy fast.

The men’s race is expected to be won in around 2 hours and 5 minutes (2:05). To run that time, athletes will have to complete every kilometre in just under three minutes. That works out at 72 seconds for every 400m, or 18 seconds for every 100m.

How fast is that? The best way to understand that pace (for mere mortals who know the struggle of a treadmill) is to do this: go to your treadmill and turn the speed up to 20 (km/h). See if you can last 30 seconds.

The world’s fastest men’s marathoners can set it to 20 km/hr and run for two hours. The world’s best women do it on 19 km/hr.

Roughly speaking, a three-hour marathon equates to running at 14 km/hr on the treadmill.

The course

The Sydney Marathon was first opened to the public in 2001 as a way for your average Joes to get a chance to complete the course that the best athletes in the world had run at the 2000 Olympics. It’s changed in the years since, but will still feature some of the original course, including its most appealing features.

Highlights will include running across the Harbour Bridge, the gruelling final uphill lap to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, and a finish in front of the Opera House. The result: this marathon will have the most elevation of any of the majors, a fact which is sure to test even the best, as Hassan herself said on Thursday that she was “not good at hills”.

How to watch

There are several key spots for spectators to watch the marathon this year. Those who want to see the gun go off at the start line should aim to be at Miller St in North Sydney by 6:15am. Other key viewing areas are Barangaroo (from 6:30am), Martin Place (from 6:40am), Randwick (from 7:30am), and Moore Park (from 7:55am).

There will be several fan sites along the course, complete with DJs, face painters, and even Drag Queens watching on when the race passes through Taylor Square.

The first runners are expected to cross the finish line from 8:30am, with the last of the finishers expected at around 3:15pm.

Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa winning the 2024 race.

Road closures

Road closures will start from 2am on Saturday for the mini marathon race that is set to finish by 11am. That’s nothing compared to the closures planned to last until 4pm on Sunday through North Sydney, the CBD, the Rocks, Pyrmont, Darlinghurst, and Moore Park.

The closures on Sunday will also include the Harbour Bridge, Cahill Expressway, College St, Oxford St, Macquarie St and parts of Anzac Parade. Sydneysiders have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel on the day, and spectators are encouraged to use public transport to get to the sideline.

The Cross City Tunnel will be toll-free between 5am and 4.30pm, and public transport will be free across the city on Sunday for anyone participating in the event.