A Fixx Nutrition Guide to the Sydney Marathon
This year, the Sydney Marathon kicks off Sunday, August 31, 2025. Newly crowned by the Abbot World Marathon Majors as the seventh Major race, the 2025 Sydney Marathon joins the ranks of giants like Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City.
Whether you’re signing up for the first time or aiming for a personal best, Fixx Nutrition’s easy guide has all the details you need to know, including essential training tips for preventing muscle cramps and managing electrolyte balance.
Course details
The Sydney Marathon in 2025 will be the largest ever held in Australia with 35,000 runners from around the world expected to participate. The Sydney Marathon includes four events:
● TCS Sydney Marathon Elite Wheelchair race
Highlights to watch out for on the course include the Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks and Circle Quay, Centennial Parklands, and the iconic finish at the Sydney Opera House.
Length
The standard TCS Sydney Marathon is 42.195km. It will start at 6:30 am at Miller St, North Sydney, and end at 3:15 pm in front of the Sydney Opera House. The Elite Wheelchair Race starts at 6:15 am and ends at the same time.
Participants will tackle an elevation gain of 313 metres over the course of the marathon with overall elevation a -83 metres loss.
Training tips
● Incorporate bridge and hill training into your routine early, so your body can get accustomed to inclines and declines.
● Make sure you plan for mid-course hydration with supplements like Fuel X, Fuel X Pro and CrampFix and ensure you are aware of where the hydration stations are located along the course.
● Work on building endurance for the first half of your training, then cut your mileage two to three weeks before the big day to ensure you’re fully recovered.
● Use CrampFix to prevent muscle cramps and maintain your pace throughout the course.
Important reminders
Dehydration is the leading cause of muscle cramps while running, but overhydration can be problematic, too. Too much water can offset your electrolyte balance or cause hyponatremia, a dangerous condition where the sodium in your blood stream becomes too diluted.
Endurance athletes shouldn’t force themselves to drink more water than they need. Listen to your body, and consider sodium supplements to help prevent hyponatremia. We made Fuel X so you can stay balanced and naturally keep energy levels high during challenging events.
Arrival
Make sure you arrive early so you have time to prepare for the marathon. Mental preparation is just as important as physical. If you’re an out-of-towner, give yourself a few days to acclimate, check out the course landmarks, and build confidence before the start date.
Nutrition
Marathon nutrition starts well before you arrive at the starting line. Make sure you don’t try anything new the day before or on race day. Avoid fatty, oily foods, high levels of caffeine, and high sugar.
The key elements needed to successfully fuel a run include hydration (fluid), electrolytes (4 key minerals to replace what you are losing) and carbohydrate (energy) intake. These are all vitally important but how can we consume all of these sufficiently while moving to keep our body moving?
The easiest way to consume all these elements is to drink a pre-mixed endurance fuel like Fuel X along with a dual source energy gel such as Gel X PRO (either with caffeine or without) – we do find that the version with caffeine does provide a little pick-me up at key moments in the race. However, in an environment like a marathon where you are placing your body under immense stress we recommend personal preference in terms of what does/doesn’t work for your body or suit your individual tastes. With the right blend of electrolytes and the right quantity and type of carbohydrates, this nutrition will keep you energised and well hydrated. Fuel X is a powder which mixes easily with water and can be sipped from a drink bottle, soft flask or hydration vest during your run.
We also can’t stress enough that the need for ‘gut-friendly’ nutritional supplements is critical due to the high instance of athletes reporting stomach cramps during prolonged, intense exercise.
Focus on pace
Everyone’s pace is different, and it’s important to remind yourself that what really matters is taking care of your body. Every step is an achievement, no matter what your race time is.
Cramp prevention
Muscle cramps could stop you in your tracks. Our CrampFix range is a critical part of any marathon runners arsenal in treating the overactive nerves that cause muscles to cramp, providing almost instant relief.
FAQs
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How long is the Sydney Marathon?
The Sydney Marathon is 42.195km (26 miles and 385 yards).
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When does the Sydney Marathon start in 2025?
The TCS Sydney Marathon starts at 6:30 am on Sunday, August 31, 2025, and ends seven hours later at 3:15 pm. The Elite Wheelchair marathon starts 15 minutes earlier at 6:15 am.
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Is the Sydney Marathon a hard course?
Yes, the TCS Sydney Marathon is considered a difficult course with steep elevation changes, rolling hills, and multiple climbs and descents. The hills throughout the course make it vital to train properly ahead of time and build strength and endurance tackling climbs.
How to train for the Sydney Marathon?
Start by working on cardiovascular endurance, gradually increasing your runs and incorporating hills into your training to ensure you can keep up with the course’s challenging terrain. 16-weeks is considered a sufficient timeline to develop optimal fitness levels (this guide for busy people shows it can be done even for those of us with packed schedules if you put your mind to it).
Strength training also should not be overlooked. It can be a critical component of your training program. It can help to build resilience for those runners wanting to move better and feel stronger. It helps with building efficiency of movement, solidifying your technique and providing a stronger base and core to run with.
A Fixx Nutrition word of advice:
Running a marathon is one of the most challenging tasks a person can undertake. Even the most fittest professional and non-professional athletes alike need to pay attention to the requirements of their bodies. For those runners seeking to gain a better understanding of what nutrition is required to meet the specific physical challenges of a marathon. This guide provides an overview of nutritional must-haves and an hour by hour recommendation of what is needed during the race to meet your body’s specific needs.