Jamie Lacey has won back-to-back Toowoomba marathons while battling sciatica for five years, but his biggest challenge remains balancing training with fatherhood.

As early as 4am you can see Jamie Lacey running around Toowoomba, training for his upcoming races. The 32-year-old won the Toowoomba Marathon in 2024 and 2025, and his preparations are already under way for the upcoming Half Marathon in May this year.

The married father of two and salesman at Toowoomba Bikes & Bits has also raced in the Sunshine Coast, Canberra and Gold Coast, and the GC50 Ultra Marathon. After taking a break from competitive cycling, Mr Lacey took up running in 2018 because he was enticed by the challenge.

“I intended to just do one marathon and it hasn’t stopped. I loved it and have kept it going,” he said.

“The difference in the amount of training that you need to do compared to cycling is a lot easier to consolidate with full-time work.”

Injuries to his knees and ankles haven’t stopped him, and he’s been running with sciatica pain from a back injury for the last five years.

“I’ve just learnt to deal with it more than anything. With running you’ve got to learn to navigate all the injuries that come with it.”

When it comes to training, Mr Lacey said it was hard to balance with raising a family and a full time job.

“Look, it’s certainly difficult. Especially with young kids. It’s more of a load on the family than it is on just me. You can be selfish and just take the time for yourself, but for every minute that I take for myself, I’m taken from the family,” he said.

“So I get my training done at 4am, get ready for work, get the kids to daycare and then I go to work. It’s a pretty packed morning but I only have time to train in the mornings now.”

This year the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport Running Festival has four races – a Half Marathon, a 10km and a 5km race, and the Toowoomba Mile, which can be done solo or as a relay team of four where each person runs 400 metres. The course is certainly not easy. With equal parts uphill and downhill running, the Toowoomba course is gruelling.

“It’s extremely challenging in comparison to what most events will target, which is flatter, faster running,” Mr Lacey said.

For anyone looking to enter any of these races this year, Mr Lacey had great advice.

“Just enjoy the ride along the way,” he said.

“Start on the level that you’re aware you’re at, and adjust it accordingly.”