TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS

The course

Explore the TCS Sydney Marathon Course Preview - powered by TCS

Key event details

Date: Sunday August 30, 2026

Distance: 42.195km (World Athletics Platinum Label Marathon)

Start time:

Elite wheelchair athletes - 6:15am

Mass participation - 6:30am*

*please note start group timings will be shared closer to event day.

Start line cut off: 8:40am

Start Location: Miller St, North Sydney

Finish Line: Sydney Opera House Forecourt

Course Cut Off Time: 7 hours (3:40pm*)

*Please note that if there are unforeseen operational delays at the start on event day, an appropriate amount of additional time will be added to the finish line closure time.

UPDATED 4 NOV - 2452-B SM_Maps_2024-STATIC_SM[12].png

Download Course Map

42.195KM

TCS Sydney Marathon Course Flyover - presented by TCS

Immerse yourself in one of the world’s most scenic marathon courses, taking in some of Sydney’s most spectacular and historic landmarks, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. The course changes we have implemented in recent years are designed for faster times and a better participant experience, ensuring we deliver a world-class event.

Key highlights:

An iconic start line celebrating the heritage of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games marathon

Crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge

A loop of stunning Centennial Park

Mrs Macquarie's Chair in the Royal Botanic Garden

The Sydney Opera House finish line

42.195KM

Course Preview (runner point-of-view)

During the 2025 TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS, we installed a 360-degree camera on one of our on-course vehicles to provide a point-of-view marathon experience in this five-minute video.

Elevation Profile

Download Course Elevation Profile

Download Marathon Course GPX File

Official Elevation Profile:
Elevation Gain: +313 metres
Elevation Loss: -396 metres
Overall Elevation: -83 metres loss

Please note that the elevation in the .gpx file is not 100% accurate. Please refer to the official value above for the course elevation. The course route is 100% accurate within the .gpx file.

Course Information

Click here to view your course map.
Click here to view the course elevation map. *Subject to change.

Net Elevation Gain: 313 metres

Net Elevation Loss: 396 metres

Total Elevation: -83 metres loss
Powerade (Mountain Blast flavour) will be available at the 5km, 10km, 15km, 20km, 25km, 30km, 35km and 40km drink stations along the course and at the finish line recovery area.

GU Energy Gels are available at the 20km and 30km drink stations. GU Energy Gels are limited and subject to availability. If you require gels as part of your nutrition plan, we strongly recommend you carry your own.

Water will be available at all drink stations on course.

A refreshment station will be located after the finish line during the walk-off in the Royal Botanic Garden.

All drink station locations are marked on the course map, and there are portable toilets located near each drink station.
To assist you in achieving your marathon goals, we have a team of pacers. A pacer is an experienced marathon runner who will run at an even pace for the duration of the event to finish at a target time, while also encouraging participants along the way. Whether you are a first-time marathoner or you are aiming for a milestone finish time, there will be a pacer for you. Each pacer will be easily identifiable in a red TCS Sydney Marathon Pace Team singlet and flying a flag with their target finish time.

All pacers will run to chip time, and pace as evenly as possible without banking time (+/- 30 seconds at halfway). There are several pacers at each time who will run within eyesight of each other, creating a pace zone. This means that you will not need to crowd around a single pacer. Please use them as a moving timeline to judge your own effort/race strategy.

In 2026, the TCS Sydney Marathon will offer pacers for the following times:

2:30, 2:35, 2:40, 2:45, 2:50, 2:55, 3:00, 3:05, 3:10, 3:15, 3:20, 3:25, 3:30, 3:35, 3:40, 3:45, 3:50, 3:55, 4:00, 4:10, 4:15, 4:20, 4:30, 4:40, 4:45, 4:50, 5:00, 5:15, 5:30, 5:45, 6:00, 6:15, 6:30, 6:45, 7:00 + sweeper
The TCS Sydney Marathon has a course time limit of seven hours from the closure of the start line at 8:40am. Anyone who does not cross the finish line by 3:40pm* will receive a DNF as their official result.



Anyone who does not meet the intermediary course cut-offs will either be redirected (at redirection points) or will be loaded onto the sweeper bus and transported to the finish line following the final athletes. All redirected or swept athletes will receive a DNF as their official result, but redirected athletes will still be able to cross the finish line.



You can find more information on cut-off and redirection points here.



*Please note that if there are unforeseen operational delays at the start on event day, an appropriate amount of additional time will be added to the finish line closure time.

Secure your 2026 entry through our Official Travel Partners

Guarantee your entry by purchasing a specially curated travel package through one of our Official Travel Partners. These packages are ideal for participants and their friends and family, providing a seamless marathon weekend experience. Select a Travel Partner that supports your region.

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