Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Running · Half Marathons
Sydney Half Marathon 2026
- Race day
- Sunday, 13 September 2026
- Location
- Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales
- Distance
- 13.1 mi / 21.1 km
Sydney Half Marathon: 13 September 2026 at Sydney Olympic Park. AIMS-certified, the NSW Half Marathon Championships, entry and a pace chart.
Sydney Half Marathon Race Timeline
3 days to go
Mileage is right down. Focus on sleep, hydration, and getting your kit and travel plan sorted rather than any last-minute training.
Sydney Half Marathon 2026: quick answers
When is Sydney Half Marathon 2026?
Sydney Half Marathon 2026 takes place on Sunday, 13 September 2026.
Where does Sydney Half Marathon start and finish?
Sydney Half Marathon starts at Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park and finishes at Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park.
How many miles is Sydney Half Marathon?
Sydney Half Marathon is 13.1 miles (21.1km).
How much does Sydney Half Marathon cost to enter?
Entry is through Athletics New South Wales, on Race Roster. The half marathon has sold out ahead of race day in recent years; the 10km and the 2.5km family run generally last longer.
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Sunday, 13 September 2026
- Distance
- 13.1 miles / 21.1km
- Location
- Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales
- Start Point
- Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park
- Finish Point
- Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park
- Surface
- Sealed road and path through the Olympic precinct and the surrounding parklands
Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: start time, cut-off time, age requirement, tracking app. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.
Direct Entry Summary
Entry is through Athletics New South Wales, on Race Roster. The half marathon has sold out ahead of race day in recent years; the 10km and the 2.5km family run generally last longer.
Ballot Policy
No ballot — entry is first come, first served through Athletics NSW.
Sydney Half Marathon Race Day Weather
Fetching today's forecast for race day…
Sydney Half Marathon Route Map & Elevation Profile
Starting at Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park and finishing at Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park. Total elevation gain is not published for this event, and Verus does not estimate one.
Is Sydney Half Marathon flat?
Yes, by any reasonable standard. Athletics NSW doesn't publish an elevation figure so Verus doesn't state one, but the Olympic Park precinct is flat parkland and sealed path, and the race's reputation as a personal-best course rests on it. If you have run Sydney's harbour races and found them slow, this is the corrective.
Sydney Half Marathon Course Profile
Elevation change not published for this event.
Tap a point on the course for details.
Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park
Start line.
Where Sydney Half Marathon starts and finishes
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on. The official course map is the one to use: view it on the organiser's site .
Full Sydney Half Marathon Route Breakdown
A flat, fast, closed-course half around the 2000 Olympic precinct at Homebush, starting and finishing at Cathy Freeman Park in the shadow of the cauldron. Both the 10km and the half are AIMS certified, which is the point of the race for anyone chasing a time — a lot of Sydney runners use this as the honest measurement of where their marathon build actually is. The event also incorporates the NSW Half Marathon Championships, so the front of the field is deep.
Sydney Half Marathon Pace Calculator & Splits
Sydney Half Marathon Pace Calculator
Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.
Average pace / mile
18:19
Average pace / km
11:23
Sydney Half Marathon Pace Chart
Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.
| Target | Pace /mi | Pace /km | 5K | 10K | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 42:41 | 1:25:23 | 3:00:00 |
| 3:15 | 14:53 | 9:15 | 46:15 | 1:32:30 | 3:15:00 |
| 3:30 | 16:02 | 9:58 | 49:48 | 1:39:37 | 3:30:00 |
| 3:45 | 17:11 | 10:40 | 53:22 | 1:46:43 | 3:45:00 |
| 4:00 | 18:19 | 11:23 | 56:55 | 1:53:50 | 4:00:00 |
| 4:15 | 19:28 | 12:06 | 1:00:29 | 2:00:57 | 4:15:00 |
| 4:30 | 20:37 | 12:48 | 1:04:02 | 2:08:04 | 4:30:00 |
| 4:45 | 21:45 | 13:31 | 1:07:36 | 2:15:11 | 4:45:00 |
| 5:00 | 22:54 | 14:14 | 1:11:09 | 2:22:18 | 5:00:00 |
| 5:30 | 25:11 | 15:39 | 1:18:16 | 2:36:32 | 5:30:00 |
| 6:00 | 27:29 | 17:05 | 1:25:23 | 2:50:46 | 6:00:00 |
| 6:30 | 29:46 | 18:30 | 1:32:30 | 3:04:59 | 6:30:00 |
| 7:00 | 32:04 | 19:55 | 1:39:37 | 3:19:13 | 7:00:00 |
Sydney Half Marathon Finish Time Estimator
Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Sydney Half Marathon finish time.
Your 5K time
Estimated Sydney Half Marathon finish
1:54:55
An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.
Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.
Got your target time? Save it to your profile.
Tag Sydney Half Marathon, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.
Start Your Verus JourneySydney Half Marathon Race Day Checklist
Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.
- Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
- Weather-appropriate kit, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start
- A plan for reaching Sydney Olympic Park — Olympic Park station is on a dedicated branch line and runs a shuttle service on event days
- A meeting point agreed with family and friends for after the race
Training Strategy for Sydney Half Marathon
10-14 weeks is a solid window for a first half marathon; 8-10 weeks is enough if you're already maintaining a baseline mileage. Build your long run up gradually rather than jumping straight to race distance.
This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.
Reduce overall mileage across the final 7-10 days while preserving short race-pace bursts. Arrive at Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park fresh, energized, and primed — not fit, fresh.
Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.
Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.
Half Marathon Nutrition & Fueling Plan
A normal diet is fine. There is no need to carb-load for a half marathon.
Eat a carbohydrate-focused breakfast two to three hours before the start, and stick to something you've already tested in training rather than trying anything new.
Fluid at the on-course stations is usually enough; some runners take a single gel around the hour mark.
Getting some carbohydrate and protein into you within an hour of finishing helps recovery start properly.
Sydney Half Marathon Charity Places 2026
No formal charity-place scheme published — runners commonly fundraise for a charity of their own choosing.
Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.
Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!
Running Sydney Half Marathon for charity?
Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Sydney Half Marathon fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.
Add Your Fundraiser to VerusTravel & Logistics
Olympic Park station sits inside the precinct, a few minutes from Cathy Freeman Park, on a shuttle branch from Lidcombe. It is one of the easiest big-race starts in Australia to reach without a car.
Spectator & Cheer Guide
The start and finish share a single arena at Cathy Freeman Park, so a spectator who does not move at all still sees the start, the finish and — on a lapped course — several passes in between.
Everything is inside a walkable precinct with cafés and toilets, which is not something you can say about most half marathons.
Sydney Half Marathon Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know for race weekend.
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Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Sydney Half Marathon site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.