MELANIE WHELAN: We cannot let Commonwealth Games marathon pass us by

This is a tradition built on the likes of Steve Moneghetti, Shane Nankervis and Collis Birmingham, who have long championed Ballarat as the ideal training base for international elites.

Olympians Craig Mottram and Leigh Troop would travel up from Geelong to train here. Irish 5000-metre world champion Sonia O'Sullivan spent time running here, as did 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Andrew Leatherby.

Olympic marathon runner Lisa Weightman still bases herself in Creswick, taking in sessions at Lake Wendouree.

The best British track athlete Mo Farah even stayed at Nankervis' house to train in Ballarat.

And we are the home to Australia's best track and field athlete Jared Tallent, the 2012 Olympic 50-kilometre race walk champion and 2010 Commonwealth Games 20km walk gold medallist.

Not to mention the bands of athletes Birmingham has brought our way.

So, why would we let a marathon chance pass us by?

Ballarat might have won the 2026 Commonwealth Games track and field program for Mars Stadium but there have been no guarantees for the marathon or race walks. This has other cities such as Warrnambool, yet to secure an event, are champing at the bit.

We might have the Games' showpiece, the most-watched and most-hyped sport in track and field. But an event like the marathon brings hours of exposure on city streets and landmarks.

A marathon can bring tourism dollars and pack the streets with people.

Breaking the marathon away from track and field creates major logistical issues for support teams, a huge global media contingent and the athletes themselves. That goes in Ballarat's favour.

It has been done before, sending distance competitors into a wilderness of sorts, but keeping event set-ups easy has been a big selling point for the state government in securing the Games for regional Victoria.

City of Ballarat chief executive Evan King, a retired professional sprinter, said the last thing distance competitors needed was unsettling conditions whether this be changing locations ahead of the race or on race day.

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Nankervis said marathon runners need stability for training, settling in for runs on course and having the wider team about them. Each has finally tuned rituals for preparation, right down to rising early for hydration and fuel schedules.

We know we have the landmarks - Victoria is a beautiful place and most cities can stake this claim - but we also have a reputation for hosting major distance spectacles on our streets. Just look to our longevity in hosting the AusCycling Road National Championships.

King and Committee for Ballarat's Michael Poulton, who has worked four Olympic Games, said looped courses were also favoured rather than a point-to-point course, as the Great Ocean Road might offer.

Poulton said it was "beautiful to see" fans running between Hyde Park and St James' Park in London to cheer marathon runners on the 2012 Olympic course.

And Ballarat loves its sport.

Tallent's younger sister Rachel, an Olympic race walker in her own right, has never contested a Commonwealth Games. Jared made his Games debut in Melbourne 2006, claiming bronze, and Rachel has the potential to follow his footsteps in Ballarat. With Jared as coach Rachel is planning to step back into national and international competition once she finishes university this year.

Rachel said Ballarat had a strong race walking community. People appreciate the discipline here. This is where Games walks should be.

Nankervis has run the marathon before "home" crowds in the Melbourne 2006 Games. The feeling, he said, was unbelievable to have so many Ballarat people on that course and in the crowd cheering.

Nankervis said Ballarat should do all it could to bring that here.

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