9:58AMBen Esden
Melbourne knows how to turn it on . At least, that’s what I thought to myself as I flopped into the MCG yesterday, around 42km after setting off for the Nike Melbourne Marathon 2026. The Victorian capital’s reputational weather had subsided, and the late-morning sun was beaming into the stadium as I – along with around 20,000 odd runners – crossed the finish line. PBs all round.