I didn’t even run the Sydney Marathon on August 31, 2025 and I felt like I did (in the best way).
Let’s back up a bit. I moved to Sydney back in 2019 and there were far fewer run clubs back then, and the 2019 Sydney Marathon had 4,493 finishers. Witnessing the running boom in Australia has been inspiring, fun, and a tad bit overwhelming. But ultimately, more and more people are finding a love for the sport and that is a great thing.
This year, Sydney Marathon was officially the 7th Abbott World Major Marathon. A huge achievement for the team and the city really. Walking around Sydney the week of the race you could FEEL the excitement. 33,000 runners were going to toe the start line on Sunday.
And with a major race comes major brand activations and work opportunities, so I was really excited. I won’t take you through my entire week, but I will share a few of my takeaways. I am so so grateful for everyone I had the opportunity to work with. What an incredible week it was.
Some lessons I am taking away:
- Running is about more than running. Running is connection and community for so many and I love the spaces that create room for new people to meet, to learn from each other, and CELEBRATE each other. (Nike House of Victory event)
- Everyone has a reason for getting to a marathon start line, and you may never know what that reason is, but know that there is one. Respect each other, speak with kindness, be open to learning about someone’s running journey. Maybe start up that conversation with a stranger — it could just bring you to tears. (Sydney Marathon start line)
- Mental toughness in the marathon is as important to prepare for as your training. It’s a part of your training, really. Both of my 1:1 athletes who raced (and ran personal bests!) reminded me that no matter what life is throwing your way, the way you speak to yourself in the hard moments matters, and you are capable of more than you think. (from coaching 1:1 athletes)
- You learn more from your failures than your wins as long as you get back up, use the lessons, and try again. (meeting Kipchoge)
- Community is what makes running so special. If we can get more and more people running, we will all be better for it. (Kipchoge on legacy)
I hope you can carry some of these takeaways forward in your life, too.
