Sydney Marathon 2024 event guide
The Sydney Marathon, Australia’s biggest running event, is set to take place on 15 September 2024, giving thousands of runners the chance to take in some of the country’s most iconic sights on their way to the finish line.
Find out everything you need to know about the Sydney Marathon, including how to enter, where the course will take you, and how you can use the marathon to raise money for good causes.
When is the Sydney Marathon 2024?
The Sydney Marathon takes place on Sunday 15 September 2024, with the first wave of runners setting off at 6:00am.
Runners will be grouped according to their predicted finish time, with elites setting off first, followed by six more groups. The start line cut-off time is 6:56am; if you miss the cut-off you may still get the opportunity to run but may be redirected to an alternative route at the start.
Runners will be grouped according to the following predicted finish time.
How to enter the Sydney Marathon
Entry for the Sydney Marathon is online only, and there are a few different ways to enter. Standard entries are closed for the 2024 event, but you can still enter other races being held over the Sydney Running Festival weekend, including the Sydney Marathon 10KM and, for adults and children, the Sydney Mini Marathon.
Entries to the Sydney Marathon 2024 were grouped and priced according to how early you bought your entry:
- Super early bird entries were available until 2 Oct 2023 and cost $130, or $165 for runners outside of Australia and New Zealand
- Early bird entries were available until 31 July 2024 and cost $170, or $210 for international runners
- Standard entries were available until 31 August 2024 and cost $190, or $225 for international runners
- Late entries were available until 14 Sep 2024 and cost $195, or $230 for international runners
All of the above entry types have sold out for the 2024 marathon, but keep an eye on the Sydney Marathon website for news about entries for the 2025 race.
Anyone who didn’t manage to secure an entry but were put on the waitlist are due to receive confirmation in June of whether or not they have a place in the race.
The route
The Sydney Marathon route takes in some of the most iconic landmarks in the world, including the Sydney Opera House, which provides an epic backdrop for the race finish.
The marathon starts on Miller Street in North Sydney, near St Leonards Park. Participants head south to cross Sydney Harbour Bridge, giving runners and spectators alike a magnificent view of the city, before looping around Darling Harbour and past Walsh Bay.
From there the route heads through Hyde Park and past St. Mary’s Cathedral, into the heart of the city. The next 5km is a there-and-back through Kensington to Kingsford, before runners head through Moore Park past the Allianz Arena.
By this point the runners will be more than halfway through the marathon and feeling the burn. A lap around the picturesque Centennial Park will help lift the energy, as will the party atmosphere at the Running with Pride spectator area on Oxford Street.
The final stretch of the race sees the runners into the Botanic Gardens and then it’s the home straight, north up Macquarie Street to finish under the sails of the Sydney Opera House.
Fundraising for the Sydney Marathon
Fundraising is a big part of the Sydney Marathon and over the years participants have raised $23 million for good causes. For runners, it can add extra incentive and create a sense of togetherness with the many other people running to raise money.
Getting a fundraiser started is easy, and you can start as soon as you’ve secured your entry to the marathon – or even before, if you’re confident about getting a place. Follow these few simple steps to start fundraising:
- Start your fundraiser and provide a few details about yourself
- Set your fundraising goal: You decide how much you want to raise. There’s no minimum amount and you can increase your goal if you meet it early
- Tell your fundraising story: Add some details to your fundraising page about the cause you’re supporting and why. Remember, you can raise money for almost any cause, whether that’s a charity or something personal to you. Include images and videos to tell your story effectively
- Share your fundraiser: Sharing your fundraising page as widely as possible is key to getting donations. Share the link wherever you can: with friends and family, at work, and on social media.
Once your fundraiser is up and running, share regular updates with your supporters to let them know how your training is going, and how the race goes.
Join other marathon fundraisers
The Sydney Marathon has been running for over 20 years and in that time many participants have used the race as an opportunity to raise money for good causes. Take a look at these marathon fundraising efforts to get some inspiration for your own.
Run for Breast Cancer
In 2023, Laura Kirwan and a group of 14 others organised this fundraiser to support a friend who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The group ran two marathons in consecutive weekends, starting with the Sydney Marathon, followed by the Dublin Marathon.
The group smashed their original fundraising target and increased the goal five times due to the overwhelming support they received, raising over $25,000 in the process.
City2Surf and Sydney Marathon Fundraiser for Lou
Matt Kuchel started this team fundraiser to raise money for his mum, Louise, after she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Matt and a group of family and friends participated in two of Australia’s biggest events – City2Surf and the Sydney Marathon – raising over $12,000 between them.
Running to support children’s future!
Running the Sydney Marathon marked the completion of a massively impressive goal for Rupal Shah: to complete a marathon in each of the seven continents of the world. For this last marathon in the series, Rupal raised over $12,000 in support of two children’s charities: Haiti Children’s Home in Mirebalais, Haiti, and The Home for Little Wanderers in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Start fundraising for the Sydney Marathon
It’s never too early to start your fundraising efforts – plus, it’s free to start a GoFundMe, so you have nothing to lose.
Knowing that you’re running for a good cause can provide a great motivational boost while you’re training for the event. Take the first step on your marathon journey by starting your fundraiser.