Sydney Marathon 2026: What Nobody Tells You About Race Day, Recovery & the Running Community

Sydney Marathon Road Trip Recap: Glitter, Unicorns, Big Feelings & Post-Marathon Recovery | Women’s Running Collective

This week on the Women’s Running Collective, Hayles and Jussie are back in the car, road-tripping from Sydney to Forster after one HUGE Sydney Marathon weekend.

The girls recap an incredible weekend at the TCS Sydney Marathon, now in its second year as an Abbott World Marathon Major, with 40,000 runners taking on the streets of Sydney.

They chat about the race itself, including Periz Gebrichige’s winning 2:18:31, Ellie Pashley finishing as the first Australian in 2:28:28, and all the moments that made this year's marathon so special.

But this year, Hayles and Jussie weren't on the start line—they had a very important job to do: cheer! 😂

The girls joined the start line as the WRC Sparkle Squad, covering runners in glitter, handing out hugs and reminding everyone that they were capable of getting to that finish line. They chat about the emotion of the start line, the vulnerability that comes with taking on a marathon and why sometimes a little glitter and encouragement can mean so much.

Then it was time to head to the 40K run club cheer zone… dressed as giant inflatable unicorns. 🦄✨

They share some of their favourite runner moments, including one runner who stopped mid-race to give them a hug, and celebrate a Campbelltown Joggers runner who won a 2027 TCS London Marathon entry.

They also chat about the Sydney Marathon experience as a whole, improvements to the logistics, the incredible crowds, what it's like sharing the course with elite athletes and why there are so many different ways to experience a marathon.

Then things get a little more serious as they dive into post-marathon recovery—what your body actually needs after 42.2km, why fuelling doesn't stop when you cross the finish line, the importance of sleep and rest, when to start running again and why gentle movement can be your best friend in those first few days.

They also talk about women, hormones and fuelling, and give you permission to take a proper break after a big race.

Because whether you ran 42.2km, volunteered, cheered from the sidelines or spent the day handing out glitter… you were part of the marathon. 💛

This episode is proudly supported by ASICS and the NOVABLAST™ 6.

Timestamps

00:00 – Thank You, ASICS & We're Road-Tripping Home 00:29 – Sydney Marathon Road Trip Recap 01:11 – Sydney Marathon Highlights & 40,000 Runners 02:33 – Why We Didn't Run the Marathon This Year 03:18 – Getting Ready to Be the WRC Sparkle Squad ✨ 05:17 – The Glitter Station & All the Feelings 06:01 – Why the Start Line Can Feel So Vulnerable 09:11 – Our Run Club Cheer Zone 11:00 – Inflatable Unicorns & Some VERY Big Wins 🦄 13:53 – Sydney Marathon Logistics & Crowd Vibes 17:00 – The Runner Moments We Won't Forget 19:51 – Seeing the Marathon From the Sidelines 20:53 – Sharing the Road With the Elites 21:42 – Why Cheering Is One of the Best Parts of Running 22:16 – There Are So Many Ways to Be a Runner 23:28 – Post-Marathon Recovery: What Your Body Needs 27:35 – When Should You Run Again? 29:48 – Women, Hormones & Fuelling After a Marathon 32:22 – Your Permission Slip to REST 33:56 – Sisterhood, Vulnerability & Why We Run 36:42 – ASICS NOVABLAST™ 6 Ad 37:19 – Weekly Recommendations & Wrap Up

If you were part of Sydney Marathon this yearwhether you ran it, cheered it, volunteered or simply followed along we hope this episode reminds you just how special the running community can be. 💛

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Until next week… keep showing up, keep having fun and remember: there's more than one way to be part of the run. ✨