Melbourne Marathon Madness

I first ran the Melbourne Marathon in 2012 and I can honestly say, I loved every moment of it. It was my first marathon and the culmination of a journey that had taken me almost three years. I had gradually worked my way from shorter races to half marathons before finally building the confidence, fitness and perhaps a little bit of courage to tackle the full 42.2 kilometres.

The training was longer. The recovery was longer. Everything about marathon preparation felt bigger. Yet, somewhere along the way, I found comfort in the distance. Long runs became my sanctuary and when race day finally arrived in 2012, I think I smiled the whole way around the course. Or perhaps some of those smiles were grimaces masquerading as happiness.

I recall running down Beaconsfield Parade from Port Melbourne to Elwood before heading back towards Fitzroy Street and not really remembering that section of the race at all. I think I can say I found the ‘flow’. The kilometres ticked by without much thought. It was only around the 38-kilometre mark that I found myself in what runners affectionately call the “pain cave”. If you have ever run a marathon, you know exactly what that means. At 38 kilometres you are so close to the finish, yet somehow it can feel impossibly far away.

I returned the following two years and completed the marathon again, but nothing quite compared to that first experience. There is something magical about your maiden marathon. The uncertainty, the excitement and the overwhelming sense of achievement simply cannot be replicated.

Fast forward fourteen years and, wow, writing that makes me sound positively vintage. Much has changed since 2012. The course is different. The atmosphere is different. The demographic appears noticeably different too. Standing on the sidelines in 2026, I could not help but notice how many runners looked to be in their early twenties. It feels like endurance sport has undergone a real shift. Running a marathon is no longer viewed as something reserved for seasoned athletes or people ticking off a bucket-list item later in life. Young people are embracing the challenge earlier than ever.

And the fashion. I do not remember anyone coordinating their socks with their shorts, top, visor and hair clips back in 2012. These days the race photos look like they belong in a sportswear catalogue and let’s not even begin on the shoes. Back in my day, which makes me sound even older, a running shoe was a running shoe. Today, race-day footwear has become a science experiment. Carbon plates, energy return, stack heights – the shoes you choose can genuinely make a difference.

Nutrition has come just as far. Gels, chews, bloks, electrolyte mixes and carbohydrate-loading strategies are all part of the marathon toolkit. Fuelling for 42.2 kilometres has never been more calculated or more accessible. Which brings me to this year’s Melbourne Marathon.

In 2026, I had the absolute pleasure of coaching my 21-year-old niece to her first marathon. She entered the marathon ballot “for shits and giggles” and somehow secured a place. What followed was a mixture of excitement, nervousness because a marathon is a big deal. I felt incredibly honoured that she trusted me to write her training program. The challenge was finding a balance between marathon preparation and the rest of life. Rowing coaching commitments, Pilates teaching, gym work, university study and the demands of being a busy young adult all needed to fit around the training.

As race day approached, it all started to feel very real. We had completed a dress rehearsal of sorts at the City-Bay Half Marathon. As any coach should, I pushed her just outside her comfort zone. Not to break her, but when you pin on a race bib, you are racing!

The half marathon resulted in a few tight hamstrings, so we adjusted the next 3 weeks of training. Speed sessions were reduced, recovery became the priority and massage, mobility and stretching took centre stage.

The week leading into a marathon is all about preparation. Protein early in the week. Increased carbohydrates and hydration from midweek onwards. Plenty of sleep. Plenty of water. Nothing complicated. The day before the race is equally simple. Eat regularly. Hydrate well. Stay off your feet where possible. Go to bed early – whether you sleep is another question entirely. Pre-race nerves have an ability to keep even the most prepared runners awake, which is exactly why sleep across the entire week matters more than the night before.

Race morning arrived and before long we found ourselves heading towards the start line with more than 20,000 runners preparing to tackle the streets of Melbourne. I always recommend arriving at least an hour before the start. It gives you time to settle the nerves, warm up properly and secure a reasonable position before the crowds become overwhelming.

From the sidelines, I watched my niece smile her way through the race. It could have gone one of two ways. She could have hated every second of it, questioning every life decision that had led her there. Or she could embrace the experience and enjoy the journey. Thankfully, it was the latter. One piece of advice I gave her throughout the preparation was to smile when things became uncomfortable. Suffering in a marathon is guaranteed. Everyone suffers. The difference is how you respond when discomfort arrives.

• Fuel consistently
• Manage your pace
• Trust your training
• Keep moving forward

Remarkably, her pacing was excellent. Her splits remained consistent, she stayed patient and, as far as I know, she barely walked a step of the course.

The finish line was in the sacred grounds of the MCG. There is something special about entering that iconic stadium at the end of a marathon. As I watched her run onto the famous turf and make her way toward the finish line, I could not help but shed a tear or two. Marathons and goals such as this do that to people. Not only did she finish, but she crossed the line three minutes faster than my predicted finishing time. As a coach, a second mum , an aunt and a friend, I could not have been more proud.

The atmosphere throughout Melbourne was electric. It really was a something to experience this energy and for those who complain about road closures and temporary inconvenience, well, shame on you. You are missing the point entirely. For a few hours, a city comes together to celebrate courage, commitment and human potential. That seems like a pretty worthwhile reason to wait a few extra minutes in traffic.

As much as I loved supporting from the sidelines, I still love being the one wearing the race bib. Finding the balance between athlete and coach may be the next challenge I need to navigate. But for one weekend, being both filled my heart completely.

The Melbourne Marathon in 2026 was madness. The good kind of madness. The kind that reminds you what people are capable of when they commit to a goal and trust the process. And so the question remains: Will I enter the ballot for the 2027 Melbourne Marathon?

Time will tell. For now, I am content to bask in the glory of watching my niece proudly proclaim to the world: “I am a marathon runner.” And honestly, there are few things more beautiful than that.