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Sydney Marathon Performance System
Pick your goal. Follow the system. A 16-week plan built for the Sydney Marathon course, from a first sub-4 to a sub-3, by a coach racing it himself.
Final days to start your 16-week Sydney build before race day on 30 August.
Four complete 16-week systems, each built around a target time and the Sydney course. The 2026 Sydney build is closed. Every one of them runs year round in the Marathon Performance System, and the 2027 Sydney build opens in March.
Not sure which tier is right for you? Email Matty.
Built for the course
The hills are relentless, the downhills destroy unprepared legs, and heart rate control is everything. This system is built around that reality.
Terrain
Specific hill work so Sydney's climbs become a strength, not a wall.
Terrain
Eccentric leg durability so the descents do not wreck your quads before the finish.
Race day
Pacing by feel and heart rate, the skill that makes or breaks a hilly marathon.
Structure
Progression from base to peak, sequenced so durability comes before intensity.
Fuel
A practical fuelling plan for training and race day, gut included.
Always
Every session has a purpose, and you will understand it in plain language.
Why this works
Hard work alone is not the issue. Most runners fall short because their training lacks the right structure, sequencing, and race-specific intent. When the framework is in place, the results follow.
That concern is valid and Matty takes it seriously. Durability is built progressively, not assumed. Every block prepares your body before asking anything new of it.
Uncertainty on race day is costly. The system gives you clear benchmarks, a pacing framework, and a fuelling strategy so you arrive knowing exactly what you are capable of.
Your coach
Running coach, sub-3 marathoner, educator. Former Head Coach at Nike Run Club, trusted by brands including YoPRO, New Balance and Fitness First. Matty has run multiple sub-3 marathons, including back-to-back sub-3s in a single week in 2026: 2:53 at Paris and 2:56 at Boston. Sydney 2026 is his own race too: 30 August, chasing sub-3 on home soil. This is the same system he is building his own race around. Course-specific, no guesswork.
In their words
Training with Matty has been transformative. In just over 12 months I ran a 9-minute PB and finished the NYC Marathon in 2:46, placing 25th female overall.
Sissi Bergman
It does not matter what goals I throw at him, he builds a training plan that leaves me feeling prepared to tackle my goal come race day.
Tim Ashelford
Over the past 12 months, he has helped me reduce my marathon time by 34 minutes.
Christopher Thamin
Pick your goal and start your 16-week Sydney Marathon system today.
Choose your program
ABOUT MATTY
Australian Sky Running representative. 2:48 marathoner (Sydney, 2024). Back-to-back sub-3 marathons in one week at Paris and Boston in 2026. Featured in Men’s Health Australia. Athletes I have coached include Nedd Brockmann. Current partners include YoPRO, New Balance and Therabody.
Matty Abel has spent more than a decade at the intersection of elite performance and everyday running, coaching 5,000+ runners through 1:1 programs, run clubs and workshops to run smarter, race stronger, and go further than they thought possible.
A former Australian representative at the Sky Running World Championships, Matty brings firsthand experience across road, trail, and ultra-endurance events, including a personal marathon best of 2:48 and back-to-back sub-3 marathons in a single week in 2026: 2:53 at Paris and 2:56 at Boston. His deep understanding of the physical and mental demands of endurance sport lets him connect authentically with every athlete he coaches.
Matty combines science-backed training systems with a human-first approach that prioritises both performance and longevity. He is dedicated to helping athletes of all levels unlock their full potential.
EXPERIENCE & CREDENTIALS
Matty is a former Head Coach at Nike Run Club. Today he partners with brands and organisations including YoPRO, New Balance, Therabody, Fitness First and Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club, building training programs and running culture that last.
His work has been featured in Men’s Health Australia.
“The Coach Ultra Runners Call When Taking On the Impossible.” (Men’s Health Australia)
COACHING PHILOSOPHY
Matty’s coaching blends data-driven precision with a personalised, athlete-first approach. Every program is built around the belief that sustainable performance comes from balance, combining structure, strength, recovery, and mindset.
Whether guiding everyday runners or high-performing athletes, Matty’s mission is simple: to help people train smarter, perform better, and build a running life that lasts.
Ready to train smarter and perform your best? Explore the programs below.
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