Debunking the Myth: Why Sydney Marathon’s Hilly Course Won’t Stop Your Next PB or Boston Qualifier

Think you need a pancake-flat course like Berlin, Chicago, or Valencia to punch your ticket to Boston? Think again. Two Singaporean runners break down how course-specific resilience, tactical pacing, and tropical heat adaptation make the TCS Sydney Marathon a prime venue for a breakout race.

The standard marathon orthodoxy runs deep: if you want a Personal Best (PB) or a Boston Qualifier (BQ), you hunt for a pancake-flat table profile. Berlin, Chicago, Valencia, or Gold Coast dominate running forums and group chat recommendations.

Meanwhile, the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS—Australia’s representative for the Abbott World Marathon Majors—frequently gets slapped with an unfair label: “Too hilly for a fast timing. Treat it as a scenic bucket-list race, not a PR course.”

With over 300 meters of cumulative elevation gain, sharp rollers through the eastern suburbs, and a notorious sting at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the 39 km mark, Sydney is undeniably an honest course. But does undulating terrain automatically disqualify it as a fast race?

To dismantle the “flat is the only fast” dogma, SportPlus.sg spoke with two Singaporean athletes who raced the 2026 edition of the Sydney Marathon: marathoner Stephanie Tan, who conquered the course with an official 3:30 finish to secure her Boston Qualifier, and veteran running coach Jonathan Chan, who coached runners across Sydney’s challenging topography.

Here is why Sydney’s undulations might actually be the catalyst your body needs to run your fastest 42.195 km yet—and how to plan your training block for the ongoing 2027 ballot.

Photo: Stephanie Tan

1. The Physiology of Hills: Why Flat Courses Can Be a Trap

Marathoners often forget that flat courses carry their own hidden biomechanical penalty: relentless, repetitive monotony.

When running a dead-flat 42.2 km course, every footstrike impacts the pavement at the exact same ankle angle, loading the identical muscle fibers for over 30,000 strides. Without variation, localized muscular fatigue and cramping set in early.

"This is an oversimplification," explains Coach Jonathan Chan. "On a course like Sydney, the rolling hills demand an adjustment in your running economy—allowing you to activate different muscle groups on the uphills and recover dynamically on the downhills. Variation in incline breaks the monotony of running, which can be mentally grueling and impact performance."

Coach Jonathan outlines three core principles when debunking the anti-elevation mindset:

• Hills don’t stop fast times; undisciplined pacing does.

• Varied muscle recruitment preserves late-race legs. Alternating between glute/hamstring drive on climbs and quad control on descents prevents early muscular burnout.

• The Grade-Adjusted Pace (GAP) offset works mathematically. Sacrificing 15 to 20 seconds on an incline is recouped on the descent by maintaining a steady metabolic effort.

Photo: Jonathan Chan

For Stephanie, shifting her mindset about Sydney was the unlock she needed. Having run Sydney in 2024 and battle-tested herself through injury, she returned in 2026 with unfinished business and a 6-minute gap to close for her Boston Qualifier.

"The common narrative was that Sydney isn’t really a BQ course—too many rolling hills, too much elevation, and you can’t settle into the kind of rhythm you can on a flat marathon," Stephanie shares. "However, training and racing with that expectation in mind helps a runner prepare harder and better for it. Surrounded by a support system that believed in me, Sydney became my proving ground."

2. Tactical Execution: Effort-Based Racing Over Split-Staring

A major reason runners blow up on undulating courses is the obsession with flat-course split targets. When runners see their Garmin pace plummet by 15 seconds on a climb, panic ensues, prompting a surge that floods the legs with lactate.

Coach Jonathan prescribes an Effort-Based Tiered Model built on Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Grade-Adjusted Pace (GAP).

Photo: Stephanie Tan

"Run the race on RPE and briefly check on your target pace as you navigate the course," advises Coach Jonathan. "Preserving energy early helps with the final few kilometers nearing the end. Avoid any early surges over the Harbour Bridge to prevent a second-half fade, and find a pack running at a similar effort to draft and work together."

Stephanie executed this disciplined blueprint to precision on race day:

1. Taming the Early Descent (0–2 km): The opening section off Bradfield Park drops nearly 50 meters, tempting runners to bank time. “That starting descent is where most people get carried away when feeling fresh,” Stephanie notes. “I kept strictly to my splits and capped my heart rate at no more than 160 bpm to prevent cooking myself before the Harbour Bridge.”

2. Ditching the Splits for Perceived Effort: After negotiating the repetitive rollers in the first half, Stephanie stopped fixating on her watch. “As my body got used to the elevation, the latter half felt liberated. I raced to my heart’s delight—giving high-fives to spectators and sharing words of encouragement with runners around me.”

3. Overcoming the Mrs Macquarie Sting (38–39 km): The sharpest climb in the Royal Botanic Garden tests every runner's mental fortitude. Armed with targeted strength work and visual reconnaissance from YouTube race recaps, Stephanie stayed composed, powering through to the Opera House finish line in 3 hours 30 minutes.

Photo: Jonathan Chan

3. How to Train for Sydney’s Rolling Hills from Flat Singapore

Preparing for 300+ meters of elevation from a sea-level, predominantly flat base like Singapore seems counterintuitive, but both Stephanie and Coach Jonathan emphasise that course specificity is entirely replicable.

The Terrain Simulation: Sentosa & Overpasses

Singapore runners do not need alpine trails to prepare for road rollers. Stephanie integrated weekly undulating long runs into her routine, keeping her peak volume efficient at around 60 km per week:

"My training consisted of track speedwork and alternating long runs—mixing easy Zone 2–3 efforts with hill simulations at Sentosa," Stephanie explains. "The roads from Allanbrooke towards Sentosa Cove offer an undulating rhythm very similar to Sydney’s rollers. Getting my legs accustomed to that cadence made all the difference."

Eccentric Conditioning: Downhill Resilience

Most marathoners assume the uphills break the legs, but it is actually the eccentric quad loading on downhill descents that causes structural muscle damage.

Coach Jonathan emphasizes three specific training components for flat-land runners:

• Sustained Hill & Incline Treadmill Repeats: Conditioning the cardiovascular engine to operate smoothly under variable gradients.

• Controlled Downhill Strides: Focusing on high turnover and neutral foot landing rather than over-striding, teaching the neuromuscular system to absorb impact without acting as a hard brake.

• Targeted Strength & Plyometrics: Glute, calf, and hamstring strengthening combined with low-contact plyometrics to maintain tendon stiffness and prevent biomechanical breakdown.

Photo: Stephanie Tan

4. The Tropical Advantage: Leveraging Singapore’s Heat and Humidity

One of the biggest competitive edges Southeast Asian runners possess when targeting Sydney is environmental adaptation.

Training through Singapore’s 80%+ humidity and 30°C heat produces potent physiological adaptations: expanded blood plasma volume, enhanced thermoregulation, and higher mental tolerance for distress.

"Leveraging the Singapore heat and humidity develops extreme cardiovascular adaptations that pay off in cooler overseas races," says Coach Jonathan. "It gives athletes an undeniable mental edge, knowing they’ve ground through far tougher conditions back home."

Stephanie pairs that baseline with consistent in-run fueling:

• Gut Training: Using energy gels on every long run over 18 km to train carbohydrate absorption.

• Electrolytes & Recovery: Supplementing with magnesium glycinate nightly for muscle recovery and sleep quality.

• Fluid Logistics: Carrying a handheld or waist belt flask for hydration independence during long weekend runs.

When tapering from tropical humidity into Sydney’s crisp, cool spring conditions, that cardiovascular efficiency translates directly into faster sustained paces.

Photo: Stephanie Tan

Sydney Marathon vs. Flat WMM Courses: A Strategic Comparison

The Verdict: Don't Write Off Sydney for Your Next Big Goal

Crossing the finish line on the Sydney Opera House forecourt with a Boston Qualifier locked in, Stephanie’s reflection speaks volumes to any runner hesitating to enter the ballot:

"Qualifying for Boston at Sydney was both a surprise and a relief. Instead of just going for routes that present a standard (and sometimes boring) flat PB profile, think about the kind of course you want to experience and the memories you want to take home.

I’ve raced flatter World Marathon Majors, but nothing compares to the energy, scenic beauty, and iconic finish of Sydney. With structured preparation, disciplined pacing, and the courage to take on the undulations, a tough course might just surprise you with your fastest race yet."

As the ballot opens for the next edition of the TCS Sydney Marathon, take this as your cue: stop fearing the elevation. Build the hill volume, respect the downhills, trust your tropical training base, and get ready to run a time that defies the critics.