Francesca aka Ces has been running for near on 15 years and we think it's safe to say she loves the sport. A big advocate for the social side of things, but when a race is incoming she's all business.

Read a bit more about Ces' recent experience at the Sydney Marathon and some words of wisdom for anyone thinking about running their first marathon.

Firstly, introduce yourself; who you are, what you do and who you run with/for?

I’m Ces, I’m a huge Sydney run crew cliché… I came over from the UK nearly two years ago and first joined Kings Cross Track Club and Turbo Runners to try to meet new people. Making friends as an adult can be bleak but running brings all sorts of people together and I knew that at least to start with, I could talk to pretty much anyone about training plans and carbon shoes. Luckily the conversations and connections have evolved since then! 

How long have you been running and how/when did you get your start? 

I’ve been running as an adult for the past 15 years-ish. It’s actually the only sport I’ve ever been any good at. No hand-eye coordination required. It started as a sort of delusional attempt to balance out the hedonism of London life, although I’m not sure running a race on a hangover and no sleep is ever a good idea. Those days are well behind me now! My running discipline and drinking skills have in fact been on consistent diverging trajectories. 

What event did you run at the 2024 Sydney Marathon Festival and how did you go compared to expectations? 

I ran Sydney Marathon this year. I wasn’t really sure what to expect to be honest. I spent a few years doing marathons and got to do The Speed Project in 2023. It was such a huge culmination of a lot of years of training and almost felt like a final send off to my life as part of the London running community, so when it was over I really struggled to find the motivation to train consistently again. I actually signed up and paid full price for my bib as a way to try to rediscover the joy of training. These days I don’t race just to finish it. For me, I want to try and push myself and see what’s possible. 

That being said, I was conscious of not sacrificing my whole life to training. I wasn’t working with a coach (which I have before), I was switching runs around and being a bit more flexible than I have in the past, so I didn’t know if I had a PB in me. We got lucky with the weather and my legs only turned to stone around Mrs Macquarie’s chair so I managed a 4 minute PB coming in at 3:12. Buzzing.

How do you find running in a big event compared to your regular runs during the week? 

If I’m training for something I do most of my running solo. Ironically I don’t love running in a big group but I love racing. 50 people is too many but 25,000? Ideal. 

Tell us a bit about what you ran in on the day and how you kept yourself fuelled during the race? 

I ran in a lot of old faithfuls… I have a pair of Nike trail tight shorts that I’ve run many marathons in. They have a million pockets and I’m yet to chafe. My shoes were actually probably a bit too old. They’re a pair of Nike Vaporflys I won in a team ekiden with Track Mafia back in 2020. Great memories, tired foam. Fuelling wise I’m a big Maurten fan. 

Maybe too soon to ask, but have you got your eyes set on your next race and goals already in mind? 

I always finish a race and think about doing it again, faster. If not, I’d love to pace someone.

Will you be doing anything differently in the lead up to your next race?

HILLS. If I do Sydney again I’ll do much more targeted tired leg hill training. And up my conditioning in the gym.

Any words of wisdom for anyone considering having a crack at a Marathon?

I think anyone can do the marathon if they’re willing and able to do the training. It’s never easy but it’s a celebration of all the work you put in for months. You learn a lot about yourself, you develop mental resilience that lasts well beyond race day and at the end of it, whatever happens, you get to be unashamedly proud of yourself.