Below my race report from Sydney Marathon 2022, Australia, Oceania (!), including various tourist impressions from this brilliant and friendly metropol.
Sydney City Centre, Sydney Harbour and Sydney Opera House
Sydney is one of the World’s true metropoles and what a friendly, clean and impressive one! It’s difficult to put into words just how nice it is to wander around in the streets, parks and, of course, the Harbour areas, first and foremost near the iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge ditto.
I had the pleasure of experiencing two concerts at the Opera House, great performances by the House Orchestra and, Saturday, “meeting” the composer Eric Whitacre in person on stage, a memory for life, just as the entire trip and maraton race here in Sydney. The race report is VERY long, so if you only care for an Exceutive Summary, don’t open the report below (but do click the thumbnails below to see the large photos). However, if you do open the race report, be ready with a large cup of coffee or glass of wine, you’re in for at mindblowing tour de force from all the best of Sydney and Sydney Marathon. This was a (all too short) trip of a lifetime!
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The main tourist attractions
Three and a half day in Sydney is not much, but I did manage to see a good variety of the most common tourist attractions, inclding the four in a bundle: Sydney Sea Life (Acquarium), Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Sydney Tower and Madame Tussauds Sydney. Saturday, I visited the Taronga Zoo Sydney, definitively also worth a trip and an obvious attraction for families and children.
Monday, after the race, I also visited Art Gallery of New South Wales (featuring aboriginal art) and the Australian Museum, the latter displaying cool dinosaurs!
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Bondi Beach and Manly
You could argue that Bondi Beach is THE tourist attraction nearby Sydney. I had only a 1 hour visit but I completely loved it and the experience still sits in my body: I want back!
Whilst Bondi is probably for the young and the surfers, Manly and Manly Beach is of a broader and more family appeal, for sure a very nice place indeed. manly is easily reached by boat from the Circular Quay (i.e., centrally from Sydney), a 30 min. ride with great views towards the Sydney Opera House and the skyline. I’m very happy to have seen these two beaches, I think they are an essential part of the Sydney experience.
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Sydney Marathon 2022
The Sydney Marathon 2022 featured a half and a full marathon, both taking off from North Sydney and passing the Sydney Harbour Bridge witin the first few kilometers. The route was impressively scenic a great many places and it is difficult to pick out one place in front of the other. However, the finish line at the foot of the Sydney Opera House would be THE asset to mention for this – by the way very well organized – marathon. Personally, I had not slept a minute during the night (heavy jetlag) so I was quite tired even before the race started. That did, however, not spoil my run to the extend that I did not enjoy every minute of it and completing my last marathon continent, Oceania, was just: wonderful!
Sydney Marathon is now an official candidate in the bid of the 7th Marathon Major, I think the race itself has a good chance but things like the digital services and the EXPO need some work for sure. All this said: I give the Sydney Marathon my very best recommendation, no doubt.
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See or relive Sydney Marathon 2022 here:
