00:00:06
Wayne Laden, race director of the TCS
00:00:08
Sydney Marathon presented by Essex.
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Welcome to my podcast.
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>> Thanks, Tom. Nice to speak to you. How
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are you?
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>> I'm sensational, mate. I'm fizzing. The
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countdown's on for um Sydney 2025, the
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first year as a major. This is going to
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be my third year as a competitor, and
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I'm I I I can't wait. And we'll get into
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the reasons why I can't wait during this
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chat. But first of all, um, when someone
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asks you what you do, how do you
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describe your role?
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>> Jesus, it's pretty diverse actually. Um,
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when I started uh, Pont 3 in 2005, my
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role could be described as doer of
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everything almost. But um as we've grown
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um and especially in the last sort of
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couple of years through the Abbott World
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Marathon Majors candidacy and now
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becoming a major, we've grown from like
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I think we had 10 staff. Uh when we
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started on the on the on the candidacy
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program, we've got about 35 now. So um
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you know, my role's changed a lot over
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the years. I mean obviously responsible
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for strategy and commercial strategy and
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and growth um and things like that but
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what I'm passionate about is is you know
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participant experience and making sure
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that runners have the best possible time
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that we you know deliver the best
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possible course we can in in one of the
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most beautiful cities in the world of
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course but um you know there's a lot
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more sort of uh mundane tasks of
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managing a bigger team but a lot of my
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stuff's around relationships really and
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and building good relationships with
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government um and building good
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relationships with partners, commercial
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partners, uh land owners, um service
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providers and and our staff and team and
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and and you know the people who are
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actually on the ground delivering the
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events. So, it's quite diverse. Um I
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like to know what's going on within the
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business. Um but we've got a great team,
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a great management team and great core
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team. So, you know, you've also got to
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give them a little bit of uh a little
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bit of trust and and let them do what
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they've got to do and and just guide
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them when when when you need to. But the
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you know, we've got such a great team.
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It's not it's not hard. Um and they do a
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great job. So, yeah, I you can't
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describe my role in in one sentence.
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It's just very diverse.
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>> Reading between the lines of that
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answer, it sounds like you're a very
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lowflying helicopter keeping keeping an
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eye across everything.
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low and low and high. You got to like I
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I don't want to fly too low um because
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you get caught in the, you know, in the
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weeds too much, but you also got to
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>> fly pretty high too at times and look
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forward
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>> um you know um out of the day-to-day
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sort of clutter and and whatnot that you
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know that goes around delivering an
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event of this scale. But um yeah, I mean
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I'm passionate about the job and and the
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event. So I do like to know what's going
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on, but I don't micromanage. I I mean it
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it would be impossible to micromanage an
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event the scale of this.
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>> Um you just don't have enough time. But
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so it's a bit of both.
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>> Yeah. Yeah. When you first got involved
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in the Sydney Marathon 20 years ago,
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there was 1,200 competitors, I think,
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and this year 2025 it's going to be
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35,000. Um when an event scales up that
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size, like what are the what are the big
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differences? Is it 35 times harder?
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Well, some people suggest that it should
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be easier since I've been doing it so
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long, but there's always something that
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changes every year, you know, like um
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from year to year, you might, you know,
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really nail it um across the board and
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then 20% of things will change like
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with, you know, Sydney and and any city
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is a living city and living cities need
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to be maintained and looked after and
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that means roadways need to be dug up
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and, you know, Um, other things happen
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throughout the city that just mean you
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have to be adaptable. Um, I wouldn't say
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it's 30 times the the workload. Uh, it's
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certainly a lot more. Um, but scaling
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that much, I mean, you do have to think
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a lot more carefully about, you know,
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crowd flow. um how people flow through
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your venues, through the public
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transport system to get to the start. Um
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you know, from the start line, through
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the course, you know, through the entire
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course and any pinch points on the
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course and
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>> after the finish and all of the services
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that are required to, you know, uh make
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that journey a memorable, you know, an
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enjoyable and safe one. um you you are
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you're scaling you know you you you are
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scaling but the principles the same
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principles apply you're just looking at
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it with a you know a much bigger lens
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and and you know more people required to
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deliver it and whatnot and and more you
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know uh equipment and everything else
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but um you know we you having done it
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for 20 years we know what we're doing
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but it is definitely different um to 20
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years ago and
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>> I say I had a vision. You know, I knew
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when I when I took over um management
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and and owning the rights to this event
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in 2005,
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I knew this event would be special. I
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knew it had all the hallmark ingredients
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to become a truly amazing international
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marathon. Um you know, in a great city
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on a great course with iconic landmarks
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and finish line.
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I thought we would get to where my
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vision was a lot earlier than we did.
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Um, it took me 18 years to grow it from
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1,200 to 5,000 and it took us 3 years to
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grow it to 35,000.
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Um, so it's certainly accelerated. Um,
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but yeah, I don't you're not thinking
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too differently to what you used to.
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You're just thinking at a high at a, you
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know, bigger scale.
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>> Yeah. the the funny thing is the um the
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world marathon majors as a series that
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only started in 2006. So that it was
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only launched like a year after you took
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over. Um but for for non-runners like
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what does that mean exactly and why is
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it a big deal being a world marathon
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major?
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>> Look I I think
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there's there's there's a number of
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things right that's the the world
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marathon major is the most respected
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most sought after series in the world.
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the the best organized events with the
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biggest um you know participation
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numbers in some of the most beautiful
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cities in the world. Um which makes that
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you know which makes the series
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attractive. Um the series events
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themselves are all overs subscribed so
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there's really strong demand. Um, I
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think the Abbott World Marathon Majors
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and the creation of the series and the
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six-star medal added a really nice new
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element to link all the events together
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in a more meaningful way. Um, and create
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that sort of tangible thing to chase for
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runners to stay within the, you know,
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the series framework, um, and, you know,
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pursue all of the events in the series
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and not just do one or two and drop out
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and go and do different races. So gave a
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a focal point for runners to um chase
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and achieve something pretty special.
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>> Um
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you know that demand too like from from
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from our perspective and and from our
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key partners' perspective like the New
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South Wales government and destination
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New South Wales who have been big
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supporters of ours for a long time. the
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the impact of becoming an Abbott World
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Marathon major um from a visitation
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perspective is incredible. Like it's
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chalk and cheese. You you cannot
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describe the growth in economic activity
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that comes with us becoming an Abbott
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world marathon major. And I'll give you
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an example. Um, sort of pre precoid, say
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in 2019, we were we were um we were
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delivering about 5,000 to 5,300 in the
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marathon. Um, and our international
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numbers were, you know, they were
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reasonable. We were getting, you know, a
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couple of thousand runners from overseas
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and economic impact was a nice 15
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million um each year. Um, really great.
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Um however when you start talking about
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you know a 35,000 person field in the
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marathon of which 60% of them are coming
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from outside of New South Wales um and
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they're bringing sort of two three four
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people with them and staying 5 to 10
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days then the economic impacts you know
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it just goes through the roof. We're
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talking about, you know, this year
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something like $150 million in economic
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activity for the state of New South
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Wales. Not to mention the the
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destination promotion of our city
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throughout the world and the running
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community through the broadcast
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generally um and through social media
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channels. So the attraction of becoming
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an Abbott world marathon major um is
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significant. Um and what comes with that
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then is additional investment um from
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government. Um and they've been
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unbelievably supportive. Um and a
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massive increase in commercial interest
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from sponsors um and that additional
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revenue allows us to do stuff on the
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course that we could never do before. So
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we can really enhance the participant
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experience. Um and you know make that
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journey fun and memorable and all these
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sort of really cool things that we want
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to do and have wanted to do for a long
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time. But you need a big budget to be
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able to do that.
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>> Yeah. Yeah. Um a slightly selfish
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question here. Um I I'm a six-star
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finisher. Um is the medal going to
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change? Is there going to be like a
00:10:02
sevenstar finisher medal?
00:10:07
>> Yes. So what um what the strategy is um
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as you might know Dom there's two other
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races in the candidate program and the
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goal um is for a nine race series. Um so
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what what the Abbott World Marathon
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majors are doing is keeping the six-star
00:10:22
medal as it is and then once Cape Town
00:10:25
passed this year and we expect that they
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will excuse me and um Shanghai having
00:10:31
just come into the into the candidacy
00:10:33
program last year. Um assuming they pass
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this year and next year once there's
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nine races in the series then the Abbott
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World Marathon Majors will release a
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nine-star medal.
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>> Oh my god, my mom's going to be
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devastated when I tell her this. She's
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um 73. She's a six-star finisher. She's
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still running. Um she's she might have
00:10:52
to keep going until she's 80. Right.
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>> Well, mate, you know what? It's amazing
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now. Like, Dom, it's incredible how
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times have changed and how people, you
00:11:06
know, are running so much further into
00:11:09
their lives. They're they're living
00:11:11
healthier lifestyles and technology and
00:11:13
whatnot. And you know, seeing the number
00:11:15
of people who might have dropped out of
00:11:18
running at a much younger age, still
00:11:20
continuing on that journey and living
00:11:21
nice, healthy lives and still doing
00:11:23
these races is incredible.
00:11:24
>> Yeah. What's what's your relationship
00:11:26
with running now? Cuz I did a bit of
00:11:28
research on you. Um you're you know,
00:11:30
you're not you're not a suit, you're not
00:11:31
an admin guy. Like you're a you're a
00:11:33
bloody good runner. You're a 216
00:11:34
marathoner. Um just about qualified for
00:11:37
the Olympics, but missed out due to
00:11:38
injury. You've been to world cross
00:11:40
country champs. Um, do you get FOMO on
00:11:43
race day now, but you were so busy that
00:11:44
you can't take part?
00:11:49
>> I tell you, Dom, every year it's one of
00:11:52
my I'm so jealous when I send the
00:11:55
runners off at the start line wanting to
00:11:57
be able to take part in the event. Not
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not that I am anywhere near as fit as
00:12:02
what I was when when I was a lot
00:12:03
younger, but I just love running. Dom
00:12:06
like running's been a part of my life
00:12:07
since I was 12 years old and it's helped
00:12:10
me through a lot of um difficult times
00:12:12
over the years. Um and you know taken me
00:12:16
places that I would never have gone
00:12:18
before and introduced me to people that
00:12:20
I would never have met before. Um and it
00:12:23
definitely changed my life in a really
00:12:25
positive way. Um, and you know, to be
00:12:30
able to continue that relationship with
00:12:34
running post a running career is a
00:12:38
really special opportunity um, for me.
00:12:40
And I feel like I owe a lot to running
00:12:42
because running's done so much for me.
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And I I love my job. Like I just love it
00:12:48
every single day. I'm excited to go to
00:12:50
work. I love, you know, using all of the
00:12:52
experience that I have to be able to um,
00:12:55
you know, deliver an event that's has
00:12:58
meaning and and that people enjoy. But I
00:13:01
am jealous every single year when that
00:13:04
gun gets fired and they go running off
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on this most beautiful marathon course
00:13:09
in the world and then I'll duck over to
00:13:12
that finish line and see everyone coming
00:13:14
down to the four quarter of the opera
00:13:16
house and that backdrop that they're
00:13:18
running towards and think I would just
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really love to do that one day. It's not
00:13:22
going to happen while I'm race director.
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Um but maybe one day. Uh I have
00:13:28
committed this year though. Um, I will
00:13:30
have the opportunity this year for the
00:13:32
first time to run in one of our events
00:13:35
on the Saturday in the mini marathon.
00:13:37
So, I'm going to do that um for a couple
00:13:39
of reasons. One, I want to just see what
00:13:41
the experience is like on this new new
00:13:43
new new format on the Saturday in the
00:13:44
new course, but two, I haven't done it
00:13:46
before, so I want to experience what
00:13:48
everyone else does, albeit it in a
00:13:51
shorter format. But I'm really excited
00:13:53
about that, mate.
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>> Yeah. What What are you um what are you
00:13:57
more proud of? like your achievements as
00:13:58
a runner or the the achievements as a
00:14:01
race director. They're both really
00:14:02
impressive.
00:14:06
>> That's easy. I'm a way better race
00:14:08
director than I was a runner. Um I was a
00:14:12
reasonable runner who went into four
00:14:14
world cross country champs and won an
00:14:16
Aussie title in cross and you know got a
00:14:18
couple of medals in other Aussie champs
00:14:20
and and whatnot and did a few fast
00:14:22
times. But I'm a 10 times better race
00:14:25
director than I ever was runner. And I'm
00:14:27
really passionate about it and you you
00:14:30
you know the good thing about that is I
00:14:32
can have some longevity in this in this
00:14:34
uh career too. So it doesn't matter if
00:14:36
you get injured. Um you can just keep on
00:14:38
going. But no I m there's no question
00:14:41
about where my best ability lies and
00:14:44
that is in organizing events. It's
00:14:46
that's what I do and what I love and and
00:14:48
that unique background that I have I
00:14:50
think helps out a lot.
00:14:51
>> Yeah. 32 years as a race director,
00:14:53
starting with the um assistant race
00:14:55
director role in the 1993 iconic uh City
00:14:58
to Surf. What's what's remained the same
00:15:01
and what has changed as race director in
00:15:04
that time?
00:15:05
>> I'm thinking like when you first started
00:15:06
like you know cheating wouldn't have
00:15:08
been an issue. No GPS mats, nothing like
00:15:10
that, no technology really.
00:15:14
No, I remember I remember the first day
00:15:17
I started at Fairfax um working um under
00:15:21
Ray Drury who was the Ray who was the
00:15:24
operations sort of director of City to
00:15:26
Surf and he had a paper um map out of
00:15:31
Sydney and he had a bit of string and
00:15:33
I've I've gone up to him I said what are
00:15:35
you doing Ray he's going I'm measuring
00:15:37
the course for the half marathon cuz
00:15:40
we've got to you know set up a new
00:15:41
course for the half I've gone you're
00:15:43
doing it with a piece a string. It's
00:15:45
gone, yeah, yeah, that'll just sort of
00:15:46
get it pretty close and then, you know,
00:15:49
we'll measure it later. But, you know, I
00:15:51
found the other day, even um back into
00:15:54
the late 90s, I found a paper entry form
00:15:56
the other day, which was 12 pages long
00:15:58
um that people used to have to you fill
00:16:01
out and mail into our offices at
00:16:03
Fairfax. And then there were like 12 um
00:16:07
ladies who were employed to transcribe
00:16:09
the paper entries into a an old computer
00:16:12
system. Um you know the timing mats
00:16:15
weren't there. There was no social
00:16:17
media. We were sending out entry forms
00:16:19
to gyms and you know run clubs and all
00:16:21
sorts of things like this. It was very
00:16:24
analog. Um so you know starting from
00:16:27
that point to where we are now like
00:16:28
there's been an incredible amount of
00:16:30
change and and it's good um you know
00:16:33
needed to happen but you know the
00:16:35
technology you know over the years has
00:16:38
facilitated the growth of running and
00:16:40
the you know professional delivery of
00:16:43
running and and other sports as well.
00:16:45
But um no it's chalk and cheese mate.
00:16:47
It's nothing like what it used to be
00:16:49
that's for sure.
00:16:50
>> Yeah. So g give us an idea of the
00:16:52
process um to become a world marathon
00:16:54
major. Like what is just some of the
00:16:56
criteria you had to meet?
00:17:01
>> Um so
00:17:03
basically there's 104 point criteria
00:17:06
which covers a range of different areas.
00:17:08
Without going getting too much into the
00:17:11
specifics cuz there's some restrictions
00:17:13
on how how much detail I can give. Um,
00:17:16
you know what they look at is really
00:17:19
important things like first and
00:17:20
foremost, you know, is is the city a
00:17:24
city that will be attractive to the
00:17:27
global running community is important.
00:17:29
Is the city a safe city? Is the climate
00:17:33
um suitable to marathon running? Um, is
00:17:37
the event supported by government and
00:17:39
agencies?
00:17:40
um you know these are sort of
00:17:44
I guess baseline um components and then
00:17:47
they look across the entire delivery of
00:17:49
the event. So you know um the course uh
00:17:52
capacity of the course um can it handle
00:17:55
the sort of numbers that will be you
00:17:58
know you know will be it will be
00:17:59
attracting once it becomes an AB world
00:18:01
marathon major. What are your medical
00:18:04
services like? Are they up to scratch?
00:18:07
um you know uh athlete services on the
00:18:11
course um expo you know a whole range of
00:18:15
things um and and it's very detailed and
00:18:18
they have three assessors who come out
00:18:20
and observe everything um and they
00:18:24
provide feedback to you on every single
00:18:26
of the 104 points and they either pass
00:18:30
you or don't pass you um and you have to
00:18:34
pass all of them two years in
00:18:36
um to be able to go through and become
00:18:39
an Abbott World Marathon Major. So um
00:18:42
but they're very supportive and the the
00:18:44
race directors of the other events are
00:18:46
very supportive. The Abbott World
00:18:47
Marathon Majors are committed to a nine
00:18:49
race series and they want the candidate
00:18:51
racers who are in there and including us
00:18:53
um when we were candidate race, they
00:18:55
wanted us to pass. So
00:18:57
>> they share that knowledge that wealth of
00:18:58
knowledge that that they have um you
00:19:01
know with the candidate races and help
00:19:03
you know help us get through the
00:19:06
criteria and improve the events. So they
00:19:09
complement the series and that you know
00:19:10
they're events that um the athletes on
00:19:13
the Abbert World Marathon Major's
00:19:15
journey are going to enjoy and and talk
00:19:17
about fondly and um and enhances the
00:19:19
whole series. M I I think one thing that
00:19:22
you guys have done at I've run it the
00:19:24
last couple of years as a candidate race
00:19:26
um and one thing you and your team have
00:19:27
done particularly well that you should
00:19:28
be so proud of is um you know activating
00:19:32
the crowd and getting the local people
00:19:33
of Sydney that are non-competitors
00:19:35
involved because I know um New Zealand
00:19:37
and Australia I think I think we're kind
00:19:39
of sim we're different to the Americans
00:19:40
and the other world marathon majors
00:19:42
where it's not in our DNA to go out and
00:19:44
cheer for people we don't know. Um but I
00:19:46
feel like you guys have sort of um
00:19:47
rewired Sydney in that respect and it's
00:19:49
been um it's been oh it's given me so
00:19:51
much pride to see the last couple of
00:19:52
years. explain
00:19:57
>> and that was one of our biggest
00:19:58
challenges and and in fact it's a
00:20:00
criteria point um uh you know how many
00:20:02
spectators you have um so it's important
00:20:04
and and you know as you know Dom um you
00:20:07
know you've done some of the other
00:20:08
majors and and one of the biggest points
00:20:11
of difference between um the TCS Sydney
00:20:13
Marathon when we became a candidate race
00:20:15
and the other world majors is the amount
00:20:17
of community support that they have
00:20:20
>> out on the streets and you know that and
00:20:22
the finisher numbers we thought would be
00:20:24
the two biggest challenges that we
00:20:26
faced. Um now we spent a lot of
00:20:31
marketing energy strategizing
00:20:34
around how do we engage the running
00:20:37
community and how do we engage the
00:20:39
non-running community and that was on
00:20:42
two fronts. On one front, it was about
00:20:46
how do we get the traditional marathon
00:20:50
and half marathon or or running
00:20:51
community of Australia to step up from
00:20:55
what was traditionally a half marathon
00:20:57
running country. You know, we were all
00:20:59
the big races in Australia were getting
00:21:01
12 to 14 15,000 people in halves um but
00:21:04
they're getting five to seven in the
00:21:06
marathon. So,
00:21:07
>> one part of it was, you know, how do we
00:21:09
get people to step up? um you know,
00:21:12
really fun, creative, tongue-in-cheek
00:21:14
campaigns around why would you do half
00:21:16
of anything? Come on, it's time to step
00:21:19
up um and run the full. Why would you do
00:21:22
half of anything? Um this sort of stuff.
00:21:24
Um and that was assisted greatly by, you
00:21:28
know, coming out of co and a whole lot
00:21:30
of new people running who had no
00:21:33
preconceived
00:21:35
um you know, ideas on what a bucket list
00:21:38
running event should be. So, you know,
00:21:39
all those new runners out of co in run
00:21:41
clubs and whatnot as well. I'm running
00:21:43
the Sydney Marathon. So, that part of it
00:21:46
um looked after itself pretty quickly,
00:21:47
but the nonrunning community support of
00:21:51
the event um was an area that we felt
00:21:54
would be a real challenge. So we spent a
00:21:56
lot of money on putting entertainment
00:21:58
out on the course, communicating with
00:21:59
the community um right across the field
00:22:02
of play um very thoroughly um and spent
00:22:06
a lot of money on that um trying to
00:22:08
enhance what was on the sidelines um so
00:22:12
that people would come out. I mean
00:22:13
naturally when you get more runners in
00:22:15
the marathon you're going to get more
00:22:16
spectators which is good because the
00:22:18
average runner will bring a few people
00:22:20
out on race day to cheer them on. Um,
00:22:22
but we've seen really good growth in
00:22:24
nonrunning community support and this
00:22:27
year, you know, that's even more
00:22:29
important because we want to make a big
00:22:30
impact in 2025 as our first Abbott World
00:22:35
Marathon major. And that is probably one
00:22:39
of the main reasons why we've invested
00:22:42
in some of the super elite athletes that
00:22:44
we have invested in. um you know in
00:22:49
particular Elliot Kipchigi and Stfan
00:22:51
Hassan you know these athletes are you
00:22:55
know globally recognized athletes that
00:22:58
are recognized outside of the running
00:23:01
community and they're probably you know
00:23:04
two of the only ones that might be
00:23:05
recognized outside of the running
00:23:07
community and have general public um you
00:23:10
know uh awareness. So we invested
00:23:13
heavily in that to capture the you know
00:23:18
the the attention of Australian media so
00:23:21
that every day during race week
00:23:23
mainstream media will be down there
00:23:25
filming Elliot filming CFO everyone in
00:23:28
Sydney will know that on Sunday the 30th
00:23:32
31st of August the greatest marathon
00:23:34
runner of all time will be running
00:23:36
through the streets of Sydney and why
00:23:38
don't you bring your kids out to see
00:23:39
this guy and cheer him on and and
00:23:43
Stiffon and all the other athletes too.
00:23:44
And what I do know is
00:23:47
when they do that once and they bring
00:23:49
their kids out once and those kids see
00:23:51
those athletes and you know the
00:23:53
excitement those kids will have and the
00:23:55
inspiration that they will feel, they're
00:23:57
going to come out every year, right? And
00:23:59
it's just going to grow and grow and
00:24:01
grow. So, it's a real strategic
00:24:03
investment. Um, not just to have, you
00:24:06
know, fast runners um, you know, on the
00:24:08
streets of Sydney racing for quick times
00:24:10
and have a having a good race for
00:24:12
broadcast. It's about the broad appeal
00:24:14
of the event right throughout the
00:24:17
community in Australia and Sydney and
00:24:18
and building that support um, that will
00:24:21
just elevate um, us in one year and then
00:24:25
hopefully give us a leg up from there to
00:24:27
grow.
00:24:28
>> Yeah. Since you dropped a couple of
00:24:30
names there, let's um park on that for a
00:24:32
while. Um because this is going to be
00:24:34
the third time Elliot Kipchigi and
00:24:35
myself go headto-head. I'm hoping to
00:24:37
keep him within an hour, which I've
00:24:39
never done before, which is really
00:24:40
exciting. Um yeah, you mentioned um
00:24:43
Kipchigi, Hassan, also Bridgy, the you
00:24:46
know, former world record holder. Like
00:24:47
it's a stacked field. It's just amazing.
00:24:50
What is what is the process? How do you
00:24:52
how do you get them over the line? Is it
00:24:53
free tickets to Luna Park? What is it?
00:24:59
It's a combination of things, right?
00:25:01
Because, you know, in the case of
00:25:02
Elliot,
00:25:04
for example, you know, he he has all of
00:25:09
the world majors trying to get him to
00:25:11
run in his in their events, right? So,
00:25:14
it's not all about money, okay? um for
00:25:17
Elliot who you know has run most of them
00:25:20
hasn't won all of them um it came down
00:25:23
to and this is how we pitched it
00:25:28
where will you have the most impact
00:25:32
right and Elliot's a really special guy
00:25:34
and he you know he's building a legacy
00:25:37
and he wants to um have impact in
00:25:40
communities he's very passionate about
00:25:43
the power of running um and all of the
00:25:46
benefits that that brings to community
00:25:49
uh and to people individually. Um and
00:25:52
what we pitched to Elliot is you've
00:25:55
never raced in Sydney. Um we're a new
00:25:59
world major. Uh Australian running um
00:26:03
you know participation in in Australian
00:26:06
marathons is a lot smaller than the
00:26:08
other world majors. The the community
00:26:10
support for the Sydney Marathon isn't
00:26:13
like the other world majors. This is an
00:26:16
opportunity for you to come and have
00:26:18
real impact on the running community in
00:26:22
Sydney and Australia. um and positive,
00:26:26
you know, uh community impact with kids.
00:26:29
Um you know, right throughout the course
00:26:31
by coming and watching and being on the
00:26:33
news and inspiring, um you know, uh
00:26:36
people that wouldn't otherwise have seen
00:26:39
the event, um you know, as much as they
00:26:42
will that week during you know, the the
00:26:44
the end of August when Elliot's in town
00:26:46
and you know, the the whole of Australia
00:26:48
is focused on that. So, we pitched that.
00:26:51
He liked it. his management liked it. He
00:26:54
agreed to come here. Of course, there's
00:26:55
money involved. Um, but in Elliot's
00:26:57
case, it was a bit more about purpose
00:26:59
and impact.
00:27:01
Um, yeah, you're probably unable to
00:27:03
answer this, but the um the money side
00:27:05
of things, is it like in the hundreds of
00:27:07
thousands, the tens of thousands?
00:27:12
>> Yeah, I can't really answer that, but
00:27:14
it's look, it's not a small investment.
00:27:16
um you know you just I guess to put it
00:27:20
in perspective he's the most recognized
00:27:22
marathon runner in the world um globally
00:27:26
recognized outside of the the running
00:27:29
community and by all media um so you
00:27:34
know the impact he has and and will have
00:27:37
is
00:27:39
is important and therefore uh he
00:27:42
commands a you know a a fair and and
00:27:45
reasonable fee would be how I would put
00:27:47
it. Um, but it's not a small amount of
00:27:49
money.
00:27:49
>> Do you think do you think the um like
00:27:51
from conversations you have with um like
00:27:53
say the average Australian, maybe
00:27:54
someone that just doesn't really know
00:27:56
much about running, is there an
00:27:57
appreciation yet of just what a big deal
00:27:59
this is? I mean, the guy's a game
00:28:01
changer, right?
00:28:06
I think there I think there will be more
00:28:08
appreciation of the impact of Sydney
00:28:11
becoming becoming an Abbott world
00:28:13
marathon major after the event.
00:28:16
>> I think you know and you will have seen
00:28:18
this Dom and it's happening not just in
00:28:20
Australia but right around the world the
00:28:22
massive growth of running throughout the
00:28:26
world has been incredible. Um there's
00:28:29
and you know massive growth in entirely
00:28:32
new demographics that being the 25 to 35
00:28:36
year olds which were traditionally a
00:28:38
much smaller group that the growth in
00:28:41
that sort of age range has been the
00:28:44
strongest. Um what we are seeing is
00:28:49
running
00:28:51
becoming part of mainstream media now.
00:28:56
um where it's spoken about on news on
00:29:00
you know um talk shows and whatnot as
00:29:04
you know as football might be spoken
00:29:06
about and it's generally widely
00:29:09
recognized as something that people are
00:29:12
doing much more are passionate about um
00:29:15
you know are building communities right
00:29:18
across the country um that are healthy
00:29:21
that are fun um and there's just a
00:29:24
massive shift in you know the positive
00:29:27
sentiment recognition awareness um of
00:29:30
running around Australia throughout the
00:29:32
community and throughout the media. Now
00:29:34
what I think will happen after this
00:29:36
year's event is
00:29:39
people will see the impact, the
00:29:41
excitement, the massive amount of media,
00:29:44
um you know the reporting of the success
00:29:47
of the event after um you know the
00:29:50
positive economic impacts and and
00:29:52
everything else. Um I think then it will
00:29:55
sink in. Wow, this is really special. Um
00:29:59
this is really important. this is doing
00:30:01
good stuff for the community and the
00:30:03
state of New South Wales and Australia.
00:30:05
Uh, and it's positive and healthy and
00:30:07
good for the community. So, that's what
00:30:09
I think will happen. Um, but it'll
00:30:11
happen off the back of the fact that
00:30:13
running now is part of the mainstream
00:30:17
vernacular and discussion points of
00:30:19
media and the community where it just
00:30:21
wasn't before before co. Oh, mate. I was
00:30:25
saying to someone the other day, this is
00:30:26
the first time in my life that I've been
00:30:28
um I've been ahead of the curve when it
00:30:29
comes to something cool.
00:30:32
You know, I've been running for like 20
00:30:34
years and suddenly it's become a cool
00:30:35
thing and I I it feels awesome.
00:30:41
>> Well, it is. Yeah, that's right. I mean,
00:30:42
we've gone Yeah, it it's totally shifted
00:30:45
and that's great. You know, it's cool.
00:30:46
People are using run clubs for social
00:30:49
activities now and they're getting
00:30:51
everything they want um out of doing one
00:30:54
thing that they might have needed to do
00:30:56
three different things for like going to
00:30:58
the bar or going to a club, going to the
00:31:00
gym, um you know, and everything else.
00:31:02
It's all sort of wrapped up nicely in
00:31:04
one activity that's cheap, affordable,
00:31:06
convenient, um that's efficient in terms
00:31:09
of getting you healthy. Um and they're
00:31:12
fun and social. And that's the greatest
00:31:14
thing about these new run clubs that
00:31:16
just wasn't around before is that
00:31:18
they've really nailed that social and
00:31:21
community aspect to their run clubs. And
00:31:24
I think it's amazing. I think they've
00:31:26
done an incredible job and they're, you
00:31:28
know, they've gone a long way to, you
00:31:30
know, building this whole growth of
00:31:33
running.
00:31:33
>> Yeah. Can you remember the moment you
00:31:36
found out um that Sydney had been
00:31:38
accepted and was the world's seventh
00:31:39
marathon major? Like was it a was it a
00:31:41
big moment or was it a slowm moving slow
00:31:44
moving? You know, you know what I mean?
00:31:47
>> Uh
00:31:49
yeah, I do. I do remember. I look I I
00:31:51
knew pretty well when the last person
00:31:55
crossed the finish line that we' nailed
00:31:57
the criteria pretty well. I had to wait
00:31:59
for a few make sure reports came back in
00:32:01
from the course that things went well
00:32:03
out there, but I was pretty confident
00:32:05
that we ticked all the boxes. Um and the
00:32:09
feedback we got immediately after the
00:32:11
race because you do like a hot what they
00:32:12
call a hot debrief, right? So they get
00:32:14
all of the team into a room afternoon of
00:32:17
the race to do just a hot debrief 45
00:32:20
minutes um covering all the key points
00:32:22
and the feedback we got um was really
00:32:25
positive. So I was confident. I was I do
00:32:29
remember the phone call I got from Donna
00:32:31
Stone who's the CEO of the Abbott World
00:32:34
Marathon Majors. I was driving the car
00:32:36
with the family and um Donna said, "Uh,
00:32:39
what are you doing?" Said, "I'm just
00:32:41
driving the kids back from rugby
00:32:43
training." She said, "I'll pull over."
00:32:45
So, I pulled over and she told me. Um,
00:32:49
>> wow.
00:32:49
>> It was pretty special. I uh was very
00:32:52
memorable. And then I couldn't tell
00:32:54
anybody for eight weeks other than my
00:32:58
key staff because it could not get out
00:33:01
until the New York City Marathon. um
00:33:05
where it was going to be announced. It
00:33:07
was probably the worst kept secret in in
00:33:09
running to be honest in the end. But um
00:33:12
you know that day at the TCS New York
00:33:15
City Marathon in November last year, it
00:33:18
took our management team over and
00:33:20
getting up on that stage and uh putting
00:33:23
our number seven hat on the stage.
00:33:26
>> Wow.
00:33:26
>> And being awarded the being awarded the
00:33:29
the number seven plaque. Um that was
00:33:32
really cool. um you know a moment in
00:33:35
life that you'll remember forever. Um
00:33:39
you know yeah it was really special. It
00:33:42
was it was very emotional. Um the team
00:33:44
you know obviously we worked really hard
00:33:47
and it was stressful and you know we
00:33:49
spent everything we had on making it
00:33:52
through candidacy you know every single
00:33:55
scent. like we didn't make a profit for
00:33:57
years because we invested everything
00:33:59
back into making it into the Abbott
00:34:01
World Marathon majors you know and again
00:34:04
going back I I just want to reiterate
00:34:06
the support of the New South Wales
00:34:07
government and destination New South
00:34:09
Wales and our partners if we didn't have
00:34:11
that we would not have gone near
00:34:13
>> making the criteria and becoming the
00:34:15
seventh ever world marathon major. So,
00:34:17
um, that was really important. But,
00:34:18
yeah, mate, that phone call I got from
00:34:21
Dorna, I remember vividly pulling over
00:34:23
and her telling me. Um, and then the
00:34:26
ceremony at New York City Marathon was
00:34:28
just a really special celebration, you
00:34:31
know, of achievement and blood, sweat,
00:34:33
and tears and happiness and and all
00:34:35
those things.
00:34:36
>> Oh, and and decades of hard work. Um, oh
00:34:39
my god, eight weeks is a cruel length of
00:34:41
time to hang on to a secret. That's
00:34:43
really mean.
00:34:45
Um, and it's really nice that you um you
00:34:47
gave some flowers before like to the um
00:34:49
you know the government um for the work
00:34:51
that they've done because like getting
00:34:53
the um the Sydney the iconic Sydney
00:34:55
Harbor Bridge shut down for a few hours
00:34:56
like I like I can't imagine that's an
00:34:58
easy thing to do. Is that what's your
00:35:00
favorite part of the course?
00:35:06
>> I look I think my favorite part of the
00:35:08
course when I say I should say my
00:35:10
favorite part of the day. So, my two
00:35:12
favorite parts of the day is easy and
00:35:16
and and for me and and then I'll go on
00:35:18
to the course in a minute, but my two
00:35:20
favorite parts of the day are about the
00:35:23
different emotions you feel from the
00:35:26
runners. Now, when I get to the start
00:35:28
line, I walk through the venue, I walk
00:35:31
through the start areas, you know, I,
00:35:35
you know, I'm there observing everything
00:35:36
that's happening. And the energy you
00:35:39
feel at the start line and walking
00:35:40
through the venue when people are
00:35:42
stretching and getting ready to embark
00:35:45
on this journey for a lot of people is
00:35:49
something that they have never done
00:35:51
before that they are nervous about um
00:35:55
that there's anxiety. You can feel it in
00:35:57
the air. Um, and it's just this really
00:36:01
sort of nervous but positive energy and
00:36:05
you know, people positively talking to
00:36:08
each other about, you know, you can do
00:36:09
it, you've got this, and all that sort
00:36:11
of stuff. That's really cool. I love
00:36:13
that. That anticipation and everyone's
00:36:15
just waiting on the start line for the
00:36:17
gun to go and then they're off, you
00:36:20
know? Then it's just them and the road,
00:36:22
right? That part of it I really love. Um
00:36:25
and then equally
00:36:27
um equally I love the finish line and
00:36:31
the reason why I love the finish line is
00:36:33
is also about emotion. Um and that is as
00:36:37
opposed to the start line where it's
00:36:39
anxiety and fear and anticipation. The
00:36:42
finish line it's relief, pride, um you
00:36:46
know joy and all these sorts of things
00:36:48
that are sort of opposite to what you
00:36:50
feel at the start. So those two emotions
00:36:53
of the participants and and remember
00:36:55
what I said before, you know, it's all
00:36:58
about the participant experience and
00:37:00
we're we're here to put on an event for
00:37:02
the people who are running in that
00:37:04
event, right? And deliver something
00:37:06
special to the city. So those two parts
00:37:08
of the event are the most special parts
00:37:10
of the event. Now the course the the the
00:37:14
parts of the course I mean s look Dom
00:37:16
you've run it. I I think the TCS Sydney
00:37:19
Marathon is possibly one of the most
00:37:21
beautiful marathon courses in the world.
00:37:24
It's not one of the easiest, but it's
00:37:26
definitely one of the most beautiful.
00:37:28
Now, Sydney Harbor Bridge, right, that's
00:37:30
hard to beat. We do we close the Harbor
00:37:32
Bridge from 4:00 a.m. till midday. Um,
00:37:34
so yeah, that that is hard to do. Um,
00:37:36
but you got so many things to look at on
00:37:38
the course that distract you on your
00:37:40
journey. Um, really beautiful parts of
00:37:44
we we go past every single icon. um you
00:37:46
know, St. Mary's Cathedral, Lady
00:37:48
McQuary's Chair, the harbor itself, um
00:37:51
you know, Centennial Parklands and all
00:37:53
of these beautiful areas of Sydney. And
00:37:54
then of course the Sydney Opera House is
00:37:57
is the most special finish line in the
00:38:00
world in my opinion. Um so yeah, there's
00:38:04
just so much to do and see in that race
00:38:06
that um you know, create memories that
00:38:10
you'll have forever. And and you know, a
00:38:12
lot of people say to me, "We were
00:38:15
worried about this being a really tough
00:38:18
course and it not being enjoyable at
00:38:21
all." And and nearly all of them, you
00:38:23
know, when I speak to them again, they
00:38:24
go, "It wasn't anywhere near as tough as
00:38:26
what I thought. The hills themselves are
00:38:28
are not steep hills. They're gradual
00:38:30
hills. They're it's still hilly, but
00:38:32
they just said it was just awesome. We
00:38:34
loved it." It's like, and some of them
00:38:36
go, "We ran a lot faster than what we
00:38:38
thought we'd run." and some of them run
00:38:40
PBS too. So, you know, it's just a it's
00:38:43
just a beautiful journey through a city
00:38:45
um a beautiful city in a in a great
00:38:47
country. Um you know, and doing
00:38:49
something that people love and and
00:38:50
having amazing time, but
00:38:52
>> yeah, so much mate. I could talk I could
00:38:54
talk forever about how what I love about
00:38:55
the Sydney Marathon and Sydney and
00:38:57
Australia for sure.
00:38:59
>> Yeah. Um one thing that's really special
00:39:00
is yeah, crossing the Harbor Bridge when
00:39:02
you're still fresh. It's like 2 km into
00:39:03
it, so you're feeling good. Um the
00:39:05
finish line, everyone's kind of rooted
00:39:07
by that point. That's a That's a by
00:39:09
That's a controversial hot take you had
00:39:10
before saying it's the best of best of
00:39:12
the um the majors finishing spots.
00:39:15
That's a that's a big shout.
00:39:19
>> Yeah, Berlin's going to be pissed off.
00:39:20
Well, I do have a I have a I have a
00:39:22
running
00:39:25
>> I have a running I have a running uh
00:39:27
friendly um banter with Hugh Brachia
00:39:30
from London Marathon who who very
00:39:33
adamantly states that the the the castle
00:39:37
the um the the the palace backdrop at
00:39:39
London Marathon is definitely better
00:39:41
than Sydney, he says. But what I say to
00:39:43
that is but the runners get to look at
00:39:45
the opera house when they're finishing
00:39:47
and that's what they're running towards.
00:39:49
um and it's a lot closer. So yeah,
00:39:51
there's a good fun banter between the
00:39:53
rest directors like
00:39:54
>> whilst they all support each other um
00:39:58
incredibly and and work together on how
00:40:01
to strategically grow and improve the
00:40:03
series um in a real cooperative uh
00:40:06
friendly um robust way. There's also
00:40:11
they're also they're like athletes these
00:40:13
race directors. They are like athletes
00:40:14
and they are competitive and they
00:40:17
definitely want their race to be the
00:40:19
best, the fastest, the most beautiful,
00:40:22
the best organized, the biggest. Um,
00:40:24
they're very competitive. They they are
00:40:26
elite athletes of of event management
00:40:28
for sure. So there is there is banter.
00:40:31
Um, but that's okay. I stand by it. I
00:40:33
still think Sydney's the best.
00:40:35
>> Actually, you do raise a really good
00:40:36
point. Yeah. So for anyone that doesn't
00:40:38
know London, you run past Buckingham
00:40:39
Palace and then it's like 300 meters to
00:40:40
the finish. Same as Berlin, you run
00:40:42
through the Brandenburg Gates and then
00:40:43
it's like another 400 meters to the
00:40:44
finish. So, you've got you're back to
00:40:46
these um iconic landmarks. Yeah. Okay.
00:40:49
I'll give you I'll give you a point for
00:40:50
that one.
00:40:51
>> Yeah, that's right.
00:40:53
>> Hey, um it's it's getting harder and
00:40:55
harder to get into. Like we had a a
00:40:56
ballot system last year for this year's
00:40:58
event. Uh what what's the future vision
00:41:00
for Sydney? Is it going to be ballots,
00:41:02
qualifying times like Boston? What's
00:41:04
what's the plan?
00:41:09
So
00:41:10
yeah, like this year was the first year
00:41:13
we held a ballot for uh the 2025 event
00:41:17
which we opened in December 2024. Um
00:41:22
and that was important because we wanted
00:41:24
to capture what the full demand for
00:41:28
running in the TCS marathon was as we
00:41:32
became an AB world marathon major. And
00:41:34
the best way to do that is to open a
00:41:36
ballot. so you can determine who wants
00:41:39
to run. Um, now that's not just
00:41:42
important for that reason, but it it
00:41:43
it's it allows us to be able to look
00:41:46
forward and be able to plan ahead at
00:41:49
what we think um growth will look like
00:41:52
and how we manage growth, right? So,
00:41:54
there's real strategic importance in in
00:41:57
the case of us doing our first ballot.
00:42:00
Um secondly, um you know, a ballot
00:42:04
allows us to, you know, see where people
00:42:08
are coming from and and make sure we've
00:42:10
got a nice spread of people um from
00:42:13
around the world, uh and throughout
00:42:15
Australia. Um where it will go moving
00:42:18
forward is similar to what we're doing
00:42:21
now, right? And that is, and this is not
00:42:24
to say it won't evolve from here. How
00:42:26
we're doing it this year is we we
00:42:29
created a new travel program, a new
00:42:31
charity program. We had a we introduced
00:42:33
a sub elite program um and allocated
00:42:36
spots to those. So I think u it was
00:42:38
about 8,000 spots we allocated to travel
00:42:41
and as um uh a number allocated to
00:42:45
charity um and to the the subway program
00:42:48
and the rest were ballot. Now in terms
00:42:51
of growth,
00:42:53
you know, we we jumped from 20 21,000 on
00:42:58
the start line last year to uh what we
00:43:02
are wanting to see this year, which is
00:43:03
35,000.
00:43:04
>> Amazing.
00:43:05
>> Now, that's a big jump in one year. So
00:43:09
we we and and the only way we could do
00:43:12
that was to get extra time on the harbor
00:43:14
bridge and extra time on the road um and
00:43:17
to to reduce the size of the 10K. So
00:43:21
this year for the last time there will
00:43:23
be a 10K after the marathon and then
00:43:25
that will be gone because we need that
00:43:28
space to accommodate the growth of the
00:43:31
marathon. So, um, by having extra time
00:43:34
on the road, um, extra time on the
00:43:36
bridge, it enabled us to take those
00:43:39
entry numbers, um, and make that big
00:43:42
leap, but still have the same runner
00:43:43
density on the course. And that's what's
00:43:45
the important thing, maintaining the the
00:43:49
crowd flow and management of the people
00:43:52
throughout the course um, at the same
00:43:54
density. So, we will grow. I I mean my
00:43:57
plan is to if things go well this year
00:44:01
um you know after getting rid of the 10k
00:44:03
next year having another 5,000 um on the
00:44:06
start line next year and just keep
00:44:07
adding like that until we get to about
00:44:10
50,000 and that feels like probably
00:44:12
about the right number for us. Um now we
00:44:16
might change sub elite programs moving
00:44:20
forward. We might introduce age group
00:44:23
more formal age group qualified um sort
00:44:27
of categories but we will never go to a
00:44:30
Boston like um format where it is
00:44:34
predominantly that the the majority of
00:44:37
the entries will still come through the
00:44:39
ballot travel and charity programs open
00:44:42
to anyone.
00:44:45
>> Thanks for that clarification. Yeah. If
00:44:47
you had any tips or advice for Kiwis who
00:44:48
want to try and get a spot for 2026,
00:44:51
what would it be?
00:44:55
>> Well, firstly, enter the ballot. Um,
00:44:58
that's that's a good starting point. Um,
00:45:02
and if you don't get in the ballot, you
00:45:04
know, depending on how fast you are or
00:45:06
not, um, then, you know, travel program
00:45:10
and charity programs are good options.
00:45:13
Uh, I mean the good thing about, you
00:45:15
know, New Zealand being so close to
00:45:18
Australia is that the travel program
00:45:20
costs are probably a lot smaller with
00:45:22
um, you know, Kiwi packages than they
00:45:24
would be from Europe or North America.
00:45:26
So, the investment isn't as much um, as
00:45:29
you would have to make if you were going
00:45:31
to New York or, you know, London or
00:45:32
whatnot.
00:45:33
>> Yeah.
00:45:33
>> Um, so they're they're they're different
00:45:35
options. Um,
00:45:37
>> get to know a sponsor perhaps. Um, but
00:45:39
you know, that's sort of how it's going
00:45:41
to be. And you're right, the demand for
00:45:43
the world majors races is incredible.
00:45:46
Like the TCS London Marathon this year
00:45:49
opened their ballot on race weekend and
00:45:52
had 1.3 or 1.2 1.3 million applications
00:45:57
in their ballot a week later.
00:45:58
>> Wow.
00:45:59
>> Um, and that's incredible demand. Um,
00:46:02
you know, and that's why it's good that
00:46:04
the Abbott World Marathon's major series
00:46:07
is expanding because, you know, there's
00:46:10
so many people who want to run in these
00:46:12
races um that can't be accommodated and
00:46:16
by adding the, you know, the three races
00:46:18
to the series that you will hopefully
00:46:19
keep them within the ecosystem um get
00:46:22
them on the journey um and get them
00:46:24
excited about chasing the other ones um
00:46:26
instead of maybe, you know, being
00:46:28
disheartened and and moving away from in
00:46:30
the series. So, um and and they're all
00:46:32
over subscribed. Um which is good for
00:46:35
us.
00:46:35
>> Um you know, I'm hoping, you know, we
00:46:38
had nearly 80,000 people apply in the
00:46:40
ballot in December. Um the most
00:46:42
applications we'd ever had before was
00:46:45
24,500 in 2024. So 80,000 people applied
00:46:49
in, you know, for this year's event. I'm
00:46:52
really curious to see what growth there
00:46:54
will be in ballot applications this
00:46:56
year. Um and we'll open the ballot at
00:46:59
the end of September. the last week of
00:47:00
September this year. So, a lot earlier
00:47:01
than last year. So, people need to be
00:47:03
mindful of that and keep an eye on that.
00:47:05
We'll obviously be communicating through
00:47:06
our channels, but don't miss that ballot
00:47:09
uh window. Uh that's for sure. That's
00:47:11
the main thing.
00:47:12
>> Yeah. Okay. Thanks for that. I I feel
00:47:14
like you're you you are the Sydney
00:47:15
Marathon, so there's no no one no better
00:47:17
person to um answer this question than
00:47:19
you, Wayne. But if Sydney Marathon had
00:47:21
one defining value or ethos, what would
00:47:23
it be?
00:47:29
It's got a few, but if
00:47:32
I would say beauty,
00:47:34
>> I I think the Sydney Marathon is a
00:47:37
beautiful course um that delivers a
00:47:39
beautiful experience in a beautiful city
00:47:41
um with beautiful fun people that will
00:47:45
celebrate with you. um we'll talk to you
00:47:47
and have a chat and uh there's so many
00:47:50
values that Sydney Sydney siders
00:47:53
Australians um and the city in the event
00:47:56
offer. Um
00:47:59
well that's one that goes across several
00:48:01
of those I would say but you know
00:48:03
there's so many reasons to come and run
00:48:05
Sydney. Um
00:48:08
>> I would have said I would have said fun
00:48:10
if someone asked me I would have said
00:48:11
fun. I think it's um out of all all the
00:48:13
majors and I've done all six um
00:48:16
It's It's fun. It feels like more of a
00:48:18
community vibe and there's more I don't
00:48:19
know. There's just something about the
00:48:21
whole um the whole um CBD area of
00:48:22
Sydney. It just feels like more of a
00:48:24
party vibe afterwards than other events
00:48:25
for some reason.
00:48:29
>> You've nailed one of our key strategies,
00:48:31
Dom, and and I've said this publicly and
00:48:33
I've said it to all of the other Abbott
00:48:35
World Marathon majors, race directors.
00:48:38
You know, I want Sydney Marathon to be
00:48:43
recognized as the most fun Abbott World
00:48:46
Marathon Majors event in the world. And
00:48:51
>> we want to not just wave to our
00:48:54
participants at the expo, start and the
00:48:57
finish. We want to we want to curate
00:49:00
their journey throughout our city. We
00:49:02
want to um show them where the great
00:49:06
restaurants are. We we want to and we'll
00:49:08
be collaborating with a bunch of
00:49:09
retailers and bars and restaurants. We
00:49:12
want to
00:49:14
hold our participants hands and
00:49:16
celebrate with them after the race with,
00:49:19
you know, we've got Ivy Pool Bar, pool
00:49:21
party, and a number of other post-race
00:49:22
functions and activities for people to
00:49:25
just have the best time that they can.
00:49:27
And as you know, Dom, when people set
00:49:30
their minds to running a marathon, um,
00:49:33
you know, often they will, you know,
00:49:36
really sacrifice a lot to get there,
00:49:39
like, you know, they'll cut back their
00:49:42
drinking, they'll they'll they'll eat
00:49:44
healthy, they'll go to bed early for
00:49:46
months, you know, um, and when they
00:49:49
finish, you know, that that elation and
00:49:53
joy and happiness and everything else,
00:49:55
they want to go and have a good time.
00:49:56
and we're gonna help them.
00:49:59
>> Yeah. Well, that's definitely the vibe
00:50:01
I've got the last couple of years. It's
00:50:02
bloody great. Um and um instead of just
00:50:05
like doing the Kiwi or Australian thing
00:50:06
and putting the medal in your pocket,
00:50:08
you sort of wear it around your neck for
00:50:09
the evening with um a huge sense of
00:50:11
pride.
00:50:13
Yeah. Hey, I mentioned on Instagram that
00:50:15
you're coming in, so I've got a couple
00:50:16
of um Instagram questions here. Uh
00:50:19
what's something you'd love to improve
00:50:20
or change about the race in the next 5
00:50:22
years?
00:50:28
Look, I I think managing the growth of
00:50:32
the event is probably one of the biggest
00:50:34
areas of focus for us and making sure
00:50:36
that that participant journey throughout
00:50:39
the course, but not just throughout the
00:50:40
course, but after they finish is a good
00:50:42
one. Um, you know, as we grow, you know,
00:50:46
you got to think a lot more about uh
00:50:49
access and
00:50:51
uh crowd flow and things like that.
00:50:53
That's something we really need to keep
00:50:55
thinking about. Um, you know, in terms
00:50:57
of participant experience during the
00:51:00
race, we want to continue to engage the
00:51:03
community and build the number of people
00:51:06
out cheering on these runners throughout
00:51:09
Sydney um to the point where we are
00:51:12
recognized in a similar way to what
00:51:15
London and New York City and the other
00:51:17
world majors are recognized and and you
00:51:20
know that community support and and and
00:51:23
we want to see the event celebrated
00:51:27
throughout the entire community and we
00:51:30
want the community even if they're not
00:51:33
running to feel like they're a part of
00:51:35
the event uh and bring everyone together
00:51:37
on that day and for the last Sunday in
00:51:40
August every year to be recognized as
00:51:43
the TCS Sydney Marathon Day and everyone
00:51:46
celebrates it. retailers, you know, uh
00:51:49
people along the course, government, our
00:51:52
partners, the runners, their families
00:51:54
and friends, the media. Um so that
00:51:57
elevation of the event into what will be
00:52:01
Sydney Marathon Day, the a day that
00:52:04
everyone celebrates because of
00:52:06
everything positive it brings to the
00:52:09
community, whether they're runners or
00:52:11
not runners, businesses or, you know, or
00:52:13
whatever.
00:52:14
>> Oh, and you're going to succeed. know
00:52:16
100% like seeing from where you've where
00:52:18
you've come to where you are now, you're
00:52:20
definitely going to tick all those
00:52:21
boxes. Um, if you could ban one thing
00:52:23
from Race Day Forever, what would it be?
00:52:25
Earpods, costumes, shirtless bros.
00:52:33
Man, I look
00:52:35
I don't know. Like I I think you know if
00:52:39
people aren't risking the safety of
00:52:42
other runners. I I'm sort of go do what
00:52:45
you want to do. Have fun. Enjoy it.
00:52:47
Don't risk anyone else's safety. But if
00:52:50
you want to go and take selfies of
00:52:51
yourself the entire way around the
00:52:53
course, go and take selfies around of
00:52:55
yourself around the course. If you want
00:52:57
to listen to music, you know, while you
00:52:59
run, listen to music while you run. As
00:53:01
long as you can hear what's going on.
00:53:03
Um, you know, I I don't like having too
00:53:07
many rules. I think there's too many
00:53:09
rules in society as there is. We want to
00:53:13
make sure that people just can be
00:53:16
themselves. We want to be inclusive. We
00:53:18
want to welcome everyone from all parts
00:53:22
of the community and we want them all to
00:53:24
feel like they are welcome and that
00:53:26
they're a part of this community and
00:53:29
their place is there on that day. So
00:53:33
that's what's most important to me. Um
00:53:35
and you know everyone I want everyone to
00:53:38
come. I want everyone to enjoy everyone
00:53:41
to be themselves to be proud to do
00:53:43
something special. I banning what I
00:53:46
can't even think of, you know, whatever.
00:53:48
Obviously, you don't like people
00:53:49
cheating and things like this, but um
00:53:51
you know, just be respectful, have fun,
00:53:54
support each other, you know, be one on
00:53:56
that day.
00:53:58
>> I love that. That's the most Australian
00:53:59
answer ever.
00:54:01
>> Yeah. Yeah. Just do it. Have a good
00:54:03
time. I love it. I love it so much. Um
00:54:06
if we made a Netflix drama about the
00:54:08
Sydney Marathon, what would the title
00:54:10
be? And who's playing you? Russell Crow.
00:54:13
I reckon we could get Russell Crow as
00:54:15
well.
00:54:16
>> Russell Crow.
00:54:19
>> I don't know about that. Maybe Jack
00:54:21
Nicholson. Um
00:54:22
>> Jack Nicholson. Oh, come on.
00:54:25
>> Eric Eric Banner, I reckon. Eric Banner,
00:54:28
Hugh Jackman, or Russell Cro.
00:54:30
>> Old old and great.
00:54:32
>> Yeah.
00:54:34
>> Up a bit there, mate. But uh maybe
00:54:37
a title. I don't know.
00:54:39
>> Number seven.
00:54:40
>> Number seven. Yeah.
00:54:43
If for any Kiwis listening to this that
00:54:45
um um you know obviously cannot get a
00:54:48
place this year um why should they still
00:54:50
come over and watch?
00:54:55
>> There's still a lot of Kiwis running. Um
00:54:57
I've got to check the exact numbers but
00:54:59
the it's a nice easy ride. You know it's
00:55:02
it's you know you'll probably know
00:55:04
people running. It's you know airfare is
00:55:06
pretty cheap at the moment um across the
00:55:08
ditch and um you all know Sydney. We all
00:55:11
we'll whilst we love to banter with each
00:55:14
other and and give each other a bit of a
00:55:15
rib um we we always love each other and
00:55:18
you know um you'll have a good time. So
00:55:20
come over come over and get some
00:55:22
inspiration, cheer on your mates and
00:55:24
come and have a good time, have a good
00:55:25
weekend, go for go to some of the
00:55:27
shakeout runs, be a part of it and look
00:55:29
forward to, you know, hopefully getting
00:55:31
in next year. But um yeah, why not? It's
00:55:33
like
00:55:35
>> it's we're just so close. Why wouldn't
00:55:36
you? just like someone flying from
00:55:38
Melbourne to Sydney to have a look a
00:55:40
little bit more than that. But um
00:55:42
>> yeah, it's this is such a great weekend.
00:55:44
I think it's it's going to be one of
00:55:46
those defining moments in running on the
00:55:48
31st of August when we do deliver, you
00:55:51
know, Australia's and Oceanania's first
00:55:53
Abbott World Marathon Major. And you
00:55:55
know, Kiwis have been a big part of this
00:55:57
event for a long time. They've always
00:55:59
been in the top three countries of
00:56:01
participation. traditionally not now um
00:56:04
because we're getting big numbers out of
00:56:05
North America and Europe and and other
00:56:07
places, but Kiwis have been a big part
00:56:09
of this event for a long time.
00:56:11
>> Yeah, mate. The the ribbing that you're
00:56:12
talking about, I can tell you that's
00:56:14
that's rooted in a deep jealousy. Like
00:56:15
our flagship beach, Takapuna, hasn't got
00:56:18
anything on Bondai. I'm I'm admitting
00:56:19
that on the record here and now today.
00:56:24
>> Also, the um
00:56:25
>> I'm a manly I'm a manly beach guy
00:56:27
myself.
00:56:29
the um the Kip Chigi factor like I know
00:56:31
we uh talked about him in a bit of um
00:56:32
length earlier on but I I can't think of
00:56:35
many other sport in the world where an
00:56:37
ordinary everyday you know weekend
00:56:39
warrior um can take part on the the same
00:56:42
course or the same playing as the same
00:56:44
day as the world's best. It's a unique
00:56:46
opportunity.
00:56:50
>> Yeah, it you know it really is. And that
00:56:52
I think that one of the main attractions
00:56:54
of running and running events and the
00:56:57
marathon is exactly that when you
00:56:59
compare it to other sports like you know
00:57:02
rugby, like league um or any ball sport
00:57:06
um as a sport um you know they have a
00:57:10
lot of people who go and watch which is
00:57:12
good
00:57:13
>> um you know and and and that's nice but
00:57:15
what we have is a lot of people who take
00:57:18
part who are so emotionally
00:57:22
engaged in running and the event because
00:57:26
they are participants just the same as
00:57:29
Kip Chigi is right and that level of
00:57:32
engagement if you think about an
00:57:33
audience and there's an interesting
00:57:34
sidebar to this
00:57:36
>> um Dom and that is that
00:57:39
commercial the the number of non-endemic
00:57:43
commercial brands that are now coming to
00:57:45
us out of the blue that would never have
00:57:49
spoken to us before because they've
00:57:52
finally realized that this well one this
00:57:56
this sport has scale now.
00:57:59
>> Um but not only does it have scale um
00:58:01
and eyes uh on social media channels and
00:58:04
and broadcasts and whatnot. It has
00:58:07
passionate participants who are fully
00:58:11
engaged in the event uh who read
00:58:13
everything who open everything. um you
00:58:16
know and
00:58:18
you know running and the Sydney Marathon
00:58:21
now is an extremely
00:58:26
>> um attractive commercial proposition for
00:58:28
non-endemic brands that would never have
00:58:31
been involved um in the sport in the
00:58:33
past because of this and this fact that
00:58:36
people are you know they're doing it
00:58:38
they're passionate that you know they'll
00:58:40
read everything um and that's a unique
00:58:43
>> perspective for a commercial brand
00:58:45
that's used to waving to an audience
00:58:47
through a broadcast or on a sideline and
00:58:49
they can go up and shake their hand um
00:58:52
you know and have a conversation and
00:58:53
it's completely different
00:58:56
You must be proud of yourself. Do
00:58:57
you do you do you stop and smell the
00:58:59
roses at all or you just tunnel vision
00:59:01
ahead all the time?
00:59:06
>> Look, I my mind goes a million miles an
00:59:09
hour. Um I'm I'm proud of what Pont 3
00:59:14
has achieved as a company. I'm proud of
00:59:18
team um and
00:59:21
how we've grown and what we've achieved.
00:59:24
As you know, you know, it's not one
00:59:27
person. I just happen to be the head of
00:59:30
the company and and the race director
00:59:32
and have had this vision for a long
00:59:34
time. But you know, the talent that we
00:59:36
brought in or the IP that we've built
00:59:39
over the years and experience that we've
00:59:41
gained and the talent that we've brought
00:59:43
in that enabled us to jump from what was
00:59:46
a great city event to becoming an Abbott
00:59:49
World Marathon major. Um, I'm really
00:59:52
proud of that and what we've developed
00:59:54
together. Um, you know, uh, so yeah, I I
00:59:58
am proud of it. I do reflect on it every
01:00:00
now and then, but I am always looking
01:00:02
forward. Always. Um, and it's just how I
01:00:06
am. I'm I'm like my mind is three, four,
01:00:08
five years ahead or more um all the time
01:00:11
and it just spins
01:00:13
spins fast.
01:00:16
>> Well, it's uh it served you really well.
01:00:18
Um I'm proud to be involved with it as
01:00:20
as an ambassador and it's been just
01:00:21
wonderful watching the growth of the
01:00:22
event over the last um two years and I
01:00:24
can't see where it goes in the next, you
01:00:26
know, 2 years, 5 years and beyond that.
01:00:28
Um one last question to finish with.
01:00:30
What's more exhausting? Running a
01:00:32
marathon in 2 hours 164 seconds or
01:00:35
behind the scenes running an event like
01:00:36
this?
01:00:40
>> I would run the marathon any day of the
01:00:43
week ahead of race directing the
01:00:46
marathon. Um because your marathon
01:00:51
starts as the race director months
01:00:53
before uh race week like you literally
01:00:56
do not sleep. you like I it would be
01:00:59
rare that I would get an hour's sleep
01:01:01
the night before the race and I'm on
01:01:03
site by 2:00 a.m. sometimes earlier
01:01:05
every year because I wake up and once
01:01:08
you're you're awake you're you're you're
01:01:09
on. So my race starts on race day at
01:01:12
2:00 a.m. Uh it doesn't finish till 1000
01:01:15
p.m. Um and there's a lot of stress, a
01:01:18
lot to think about. Um you know your
01:01:20
anxiety levels are high. um you know
01:01:23
obviously through doing it for years you
01:01:26
learn how to manage that and and now
01:01:28
we've got a bigger team some of that
01:01:30
responsibility is shared um you know far
01:01:34
far more widely which is good but I
01:01:36
would run the race any day over race
01:01:39
directing it and without question
01:01:42
>> although as race director you don't have
01:01:43
to have any gels on race day which is a
01:01:45
which is a plus
01:01:50
>> well you know what actually Funny you
01:01:52
should mention that because we were
01:01:54
talking we talk about, you know, our
01:01:56
staff's well-being and making sure you
01:01:59
have sunscreen, you drink, you eat,
01:02:01
getting food packages out to volunteers
01:02:04
who are out on the course for seven or
01:02:05
eight hours. That's the the the
01:02:07
nutritional requirements of race
01:02:09
directing or volunteering or anything
01:02:11
else just as important as the
01:02:12
nutritional requirements of the runners.
01:02:16
Not that we are going for high
01:02:18
performance fast times, but we've got to
01:02:20
keep people on their feet for
01:02:21
>> you know literally 8 10 hours like
01:02:24
that's a long time. That's two hours
01:02:25
longer than the or hour and a half
01:02:27
longer than the the cuto off time. So
01:02:29
>> nutrition is important though different.
01:02:31
Yeah, very different.
01:02:32
>> Hey, well done Wayne Laden. You are a
01:02:35
true blue Aussie legend mate and
01:02:37
congratulations for everything you've
01:02:38
done and um yeah, hopefully we get to
01:02:40
meet at the end of August this year. It'
01:02:41
be wonderful to connect in real life.
01:02:45
Yeah, know I look forward to meeting
01:02:46
you, mate. I'm I'm I'm I look forward to
01:02:49
hearing about your experience this year
01:02:51
and the changes that we've made and um
01:02:53
that feedback from runners for us is is
01:02:55
crucially important. But mate, thanks
01:02:57
for your support, too. Um thanks to all
01:02:59
the Kiwis who are coming over who
01:03:01
supported us over the years and and I
01:03:03
look forward to, you know, seeing you
01:03:05
all here as an Abbott World Marathon
01:03:08
major at some point. So, thanks. Thanks
01:03:10
for having me on, Dom.
01:03:11
>> Legend. Cheers, mate. I'm stealing that
01:03:13
hat if I see you in person.
01:03:17
>> I might I might I might save one for
01:03:19
you, mate, if you're lucky. We'll we'll
01:03:21
see how we go.
01:03:22
>> Oh, you're a legend. Wayne Laden, race
01:03:24
director for the TCS Sydney Marathon
01:03:27
powered by Essex. Thanks so much, mate.
01:03:29
>> Cheers, mate.
