1. New York Marathon, USA: The world’s largest marathon, with over 50,000 runners, epitomises the brash spirit of the Big Apple, from Sinatra’s New York, New York blaring over the start-line speakers to the frenetic Central Park finish. November 6, 2016
2. Berlin Marathon, Germany: Boasting the world record mark of 2:03:23, the zippy Berlin course is a mecca for PB-chasers. Need more motivation? The oom-pah bands that dot the course are guaranteed to get you over the line in quick time. September 25, 2016
3. Athens Marathon, Greece: Follow in the footsteps of Pheidippides as you retrace the route of the original marathon. Just don’t follow the ancient’s example and drop dead as you cross the finish line in the glorious Panathenaic Stadium. November 8, 2015
4. Tokyo Marathon, Japan: The masochistic joys of marathon running have long struck a chord with the Japanese psyche. Exhibit A: the 1.6 million spectators who line the course of this iconic race each year. February 28, 2016
5. Inca Trail Marathon, Peru: With a vertical altitude gain of over 3000m, the self-declared “most difficult marathon in the world” is no place for PBs. Great views, though. June 4, 2016
6. Midnight Sun Marathon, Norway: Pack your sunnies for this midnight race. With 24 hours of sunshine lighting the way, this marathon will take you through stunning arctic scenery. June 18, 2016
Have Runners, Will Travel
Want to run your race on foreign soil? In 2014, Packed to the Rafters star Hugh Sheridan flew to the US to run the New York Marathon, crossing the line in a tick over four hours. Follow his tips to hit your travelling stride
1. “You need to make sure that everything’s consistent leading up to race day. You need to be consistent with your sleep, your diet, your daily exercise. Worried about the foreign food? Stay at a hotel that prepares standard Western fare. Worried about not sleeping on the plane? Don’t take sleeping pills – you never know how your body will react. I find reading puts me to sleep. Read the phone book if you have to!”
2. “Ideally, you need to fly in at least 2-3 days before the race. Don’t forget, the day before the race you’ll be rushing around for registration. Then there’s all the other gear you might need to organise. I wasn’t prepared for how cold it was when I landed in New York, so I had to go out the night before and buy layers of clothing that I could strip off during the race.”
3. “The 2014 New York marathon was the coldest in the race’s history. I think it was four degrees when the starter’s gun fired. If you’re training in Australia, you can’t prepare for that sort of weather. But you can say to yourself: ‘I’m going to take it easy early on in the race; I’m not going to buy into the speed of the other runners.’”
4. “If you’re running overseas, you might not have a cheer squad on hand. But something that got me over the line was the knowledge that I was running to raise funds for the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. Having a purpose behind running a marathon is crucial. Knowing that you’re running for a reason and that people have donated money is hugely empowering.”
This month, Hugh is running the 2015 NY Marathon to raise money for the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. To donate, visit crowdrise.com and search for Hugh Sheridan.
