We’re officially one week out from the 2025 TCS Sydney Marathon, taking place next Sunday, 31 August – and Sydney Harbour is about to shut down. This isn’t just any long-distance race. The Sydney Marathon is now officially the seventh member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (read: a very big deal). That means Sydney joins the ranks of iconic marathon cities like New York, Boston, Tokyo and London.
World-class runners will be descending on the Sydney CBD – including global greats Sifan Hassan and Eliud Kipchoge – and among them is one of Australia’s most decorated distance athletes, Jess Stenson.
The South Australian Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist (just casually) will be lining up next weekend, aiming to finish as one of the top Australian elites in the marathon. Stenson has been in career-best form, recently posting a personal best of 2:22.56 at this year’s Tokyo Marathon – proof that she’s more than ready to take on the challenge here in Australia.
So what does it mean to her to be part of this milestone event, staged in her own country? “This is a really special race opportunity for me. It’ll be my fourth marathon on home soil, and I have to say, when you’re running in front of a home crowd, you do just lift. Having familiar faces out there, having the opportunity to invite your family members along — it’s so different,” Stenson tells Missing Perspectives.
“When you’re racing overseas, it can be pretty hard to get everyone there, so this will be special for a number of reasons. One being we were at the Sydney Olympics as a family in 2000, so 25 years later, it’s amazing to be running on those same streets. As a young girl, I never imagined I’d be running marathons, so it’s a bit of a pinch-me moment.
“There’s so much hype around this event now that it’s got major status and with the calibre of athletes it’s attracted. To me, it’s sort of like the Olympics of this year. Last year there was Paris, and that’s how I’m feeling building up to this – that’s how big it is in my mind.”
With Hassan, Kipchoge and a deep field of Australian elites on the start line, Stenson says her mindset is much the same as it would be for a global championship.
“Mentally, I’m approaching it like a major championship. The course has its challenges — ups and downs, some technicalities — so I have to make sure I’m strong for those elements. There’ll be tactics at play, so you don’t go into a race like this thinking, ‘I’m going to hit these splits from the get-go’. It’s more about feeling it out, seeing what others are doing.”
That championship mentality is sharpened by the unpredictability of Sydney’s late-winter weather (sending our thoughts and prayers to those who recently competed in the City to Surf in pouring rain). “Not really knowing what the weather will be like in late August in Sydney, I’m preparing myself for heat and humidity but also open to it being wet and rainy… It’s about racing to the conditions, to the best of your ability on the day, rather than focusing on a time.”
The Sydney Marathon has also made headlines for another reason: equal prize money. For Stenson, this commitment reflects how far distance running has come compared to other sports. “To have this opportunity to be shooting for some really good domestic prize money, but then also the overall prize money, it means a lot,” she says. “You don’t get to run too many marathons a year, and with the heavy training required, it’s pretty hard to hold down a full-time job or even much of a job at all. So having these opportunities to earn money from racing really matters.”
Stenson’s return to elite competition after becoming a mother has reshaped her entire approach to running, recovery and perspective. “The biggest thing since becoming a parent is I’ve had to be a lot more flexible and adaptable. There are so many moving parts now that I can’t control everything, so I have to listen to my body more and sometimes not just do what’s on the program. Recovery has become a huge focus.
“I feel like I run with a lot more motivational fuel now, because I know what my family has done to help me be out there. I also know how I want to behave and hold myself when competing for them — trying to be that positive role model. Running feels like such a team effort now, and when you’re running as part of a team, it helps you get the most out of yourself.”
For those stepping up to their first marathon, Stenson’s advice is grounded in experience: “Well, I think the first one is to always aim for progress rather than perfection. There are so many variables in a marathon, and it’s pretty rare to nail it. So just do the best you can, try to be better each day and each month, but also know you’ll have more marathons in the future. However it works out, it’s a learning experience, so go into it with an open mind.”
When asked about the career highlights she holds closest, Stenson points to two very different but equally defining achievements. “I’d say, prior to last year, it would have been winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. That felt like a culmination of so many learnings in the sport all coming together on one day,” she says.
“But I have to say qualifying for last year’s Paris Olympics — and then producing a result that really reflected my fitness and hard work — was the proudest. To share that moment with my entire family in Paris was very special. There was a lot to overcome in the lead-up to that race, so being able to stay focused on my goal and values made it unforgettable.”
As Sydney readies itself for one of the most significant long-distance moments in its history, Stenson embodies what this marathon is all about community, ambition, and the thrill of running on home soil. See you there?