One of the world's most spectacular marathon courses — through Sydney's iconic landmarks, over the Harbour Bridge, and past the Opera House. But the rolling hills, Harbour Bridge climb, and late-race coastal winds demand course-specific preparation. Get a plan built for Sydney's unique terrain.
Sydney's 1,040 feet of total climbing includes the Harbour Bridge at mile 2 and rolling eastern suburb hills at miles 14–22. The net downhill rewards those who manage the climbs smartly.
Each segment of the Sydney course demands a different strategy. Here's what your plan prepares you for.
The Harbour Bridge at mile 2 and the eastern suburb hills at miles 14–22 create a unique two-challenge course. Here's the data-driven approach for a 3:30 goal.
| Segment | Pace/mi | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Miles 1–3 | 8:10–8:20 | Harbour Bridge. Accept 15–20 sec/mi slower. |
| Miles 4–13 | 7:55–8:05 | Flat to gentle rolling. Settle into goal pace. |
| Miles 14–18 | 8:00–8:15 | Eastern suburbs. Effort over pace on hills. |
| Miles 19–22 | 8:10–8:30 | Coogee/Bondi hills + wind. The decisive section. |
| Miles 23–26.2 | 7:45–8:00 | Net downhill to Opera House. Make your move. |
Get custom splits for your goal time and the Sydney course profile
Free Pacing Calculator →A generic plan won't prepare you for the bridge climb and eastern suburbs hills. Here's what makes this plan different.
Complete weekly training with progressive mileage, quality sessions, rest days, and cross-training. Periodized into base, build, peak, and taper phases.
Early-race bridge climb simulation with controlled effort. Bridge-specific workouts that teach restraint when adrenaline is high and crowds are electric.
Late-race rolling hill sessions that mimic the miles 14–22 terrain. Fatigued hill repeats to build the specific strength needed for Coogee and Bondi.
Five personalized training zones based on your max HR and lactate threshold. Every workout has a target zone so you train at the right intensity.
Course-adjusted pacing splits, fueling schedule, aid station strategy, mental cues by segment, and weather contingency adjustments.
Pace adjustments for Sydney's 50–70°F spring range. Southern Hemisphere seasonal considerations and race-day preparation for variable spring conditions.
September in the Southern Hemisphere is early spring. Sydney's moderate temperatures and low humidity create near-perfect marathon conditions most years.
Early morning starts can be cool. Light layers for the start, shed after the bridge. No pace adjustment needed.
The sweet spot for Sydney. Perfect spring conditions with low humidity. Singlet and shorts. Most Sydney PRs happen here.
Slightly warm for racing. Slow 1% from goal pace. Watch for reflected heat in the CBD sections. Increase fluid intake.
Rare for September but possible. Slow 2–3%, switch to effort-based racing. Coastal wind on the Bondi section can help with cooling.
Personalized pacing, Harbour Bridge strategy, eastern suburbs hill prep, spring weather adjustments, and race-day fueling — all calibrated to your goal time.
Get My Sydney Training Plan — $19 →Course-adjusted mile-by-mile splits for Sydney's elevation profile. Enter your goal time for custom pacing.
Personalized carb, fluid, sodium, and caffeine targets based on your body weight and goal pace.
Predict your Sydney finish time from recent race results or connect Strava for AI-powered prediction.
5-day carb loading protocol with daily gram targets. Maximize glycogen for race day.
Assess your readiness for warm conditions. Sydney's race-day weather can be variable.
New to marathons? Start here for training fundamentals, gear, and race-day preparation basics.
Training for Sydney? These courses share similar rolling terrain challenges.
Five bridges, five boroughs. Rolling terrain with bridge climbs that mirror Sydney's Harbour Bridge challenge. Similar late-race hills in the Bronx.
Rolling hills through Washington DC with bridge crossings and late-race hills. Similar net downhill profile with a strong finish.
Point-to-point through LA with similar total climbing. Rolling terrain through iconic landmarks — the American equivalent of Sydney's landmark course.