Lucia Banco's Story

Lucia Banco has just completed her seventh World Marathon Major, but this one was unlike any other - running and pacing in her hometown for the first year the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS became a Major. From the electric atmosphere across the city to the unforgettable finish at the Opera House, Lucia shares what it was like to be part of history, the people she met along the way, and the thrill of guiding fellow runners across the line.

1) You’ve just completed your seventh World Marathon Major. What was that experience like and how did it feel to cross the finish line? 

The vibe across Sydney leading up to race day - so from about midweek onwards, and even at the running show - it just had a different feel to it from previous years. I think because of the increase in runners as well, and the broader range of nationalities, it had the feel of a World Marathon Major. And it was such a surreal experience to think that this was happening in our backyard. It was just absolutely amazing. 

While I was working at the running show, giving out pacer info, every runner that came up to us and spoke to us was just so excited to not only be in Sydney, but to be in Sydney for a Major in its first year as a Major. 

Crossing the finish line I thought, I’ve done that many times before because running down Macquarie Street is part of my regular training program, but on marathon day it was just a different level and the day couldn't have panned out any better than what they had planned. It was a perfect day. 

It was definitely up there with the other Abbott World Marathon Majors that's for sure. It was a surreal experience, crossing the finish line, in a Major, in my hometown, especially in the first year as a Major. It was such a surreal experience, and to be part of it was just amazing. 

2) How did running Sydney compare to the other World Marathon Majors? 

I’m going to make a big call, but in the Sydney Marathon the city came alive. 

There was such a vibe in the city and so many people were still out there towards the end, down at the finish area, which was just amazing. There were people cheering on the sidelines and they couldn't have been happier for everyone running. People were there because they wanted to celebrate everyone running. 

In terms of the course, I've done sections of the course before, so I knew what to expect. But it was funny chatting to some people during the race about how they thought it was hard, but the changes they made to the course from previous years were absolutely fantastic. Finishing the way it does was also spectacular, because you can't beat that. When you come out of Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, you turn right and you go down Macquarie Street and then you see the Opera House at the Harbor Bridge, and it's hard to beat. 

For me, it was emotional being the first year that it was a Major in my hometown. It was just a pinch me moment. So I'm putting it up there. I'm making a big call. Up there in terms of Boston, in terms of the atmosphere, and you can't beat that finish. I was on such a high crossing that finish line, because everyone crossing the finish line at the end, yeah, they were in pain a bit, but they realised what they achieved and seeing that was absolutely fantastic. 

From my perspective, it was like, ‘Yeh I’ve done it, I've got my seventh star, I did a Major in my hometown in its first year’, and it’s pretty damn hard to beat that. So that's why I put it on par with Boston in terms of the vibe, the atmosphere, the crowd, and it is absolutely spectacular.

3) You didn’t just run, you also paced - what was that experience like? Did you meet any interesting people along the way? Were you chatting to runners? What were emotions like? How did it feel to cross the line with the final runners?

It was so much fun pacing because being a sweeper, being in the back, you see the true grit and determination of people, and we met some really interesting people along the way, more towards the last, as we were coming back into the city. People just wanted to get it done. 

It was really surprising how many people that it was their first marathon ever. I picked up a lady from the States as we were coming up Mrs Macquaries Chair. She was struggling and so I got talking to her again. For her, it was her first marathon, and the message that I was saying to a lot of people that day was, ‘You're going to be part of history, don't forget that’. Like, ‘When are you going to get the opportunity to say that you ran a Major in its first year as a Major?’ 

Some people I talked to along the way, they ran Sydney last year, but unfortunately, they weren't able to complete it, so they kind of wanted revenge with that. Everyone I spoke to was just excited to be there. Especially for people whose first time it was to Sydney, they just loved the city, and they thought that finishing at the Opera House was as hard to beat.

And it was good hearing everyone's stories about why they wanted to come to Sydney and do the marathon. For some people, they wanted to chase that star, and some people wanted to be part of history.  

At the the end, the organisers of the TCS Sydney Marathon created a tunnel of screams in the finishing shoot, just high fiving everyone, and then once we crossed, we just stayed around there to see people coming in, and the smile on their faces was just like, ‘Yeah, they've done it,’ and they couldn't have been any prouder.

To pace a marathon is a privilege for me, because for me it's about getting back to a sport that's given me so much. But to pace a marathon in a World Marathon Major, in my hometown, in its first year as a Major, it's hard to beat. So that's why I put Sydney up there with Boston in terms of feel and being able to help people along the way. It was just absolutely fantastic. 

It was just such a surreal experience and it was such an awesome day. It's hard to put in words how good it was. But yeah, I absolutely loved it.