Lance Franklin has taken a big step in his marathon switch, completing a half-marathon in 1:34:22 on the Sunshine Coast.
## What happened?
The 38-year-old AFL legend crossed the finish line ahead of NRL icon Johnathan Thurston, who finished in 1:35:18.
Thurston had beaten Franklin by just under five minutes in their half-marathon debuts on the Gold Coast last month.
## Why it matters for Lance Franklin
Franklin's improvement is a significant one, with his time on the Sunshine Coast being five minutes faster than his Gold Coast run.
The retired sporting star is being helped along by Australian marathon great Rob de Castella and long-time marathon runner Charlie Maher.
Franklin's wife Jesinta is pregnant with their third child, due in late December or early January.
## What comes next?
The Indigenous Marathon Foundation group will next tackle a 30km race at Alice Springs to formally book their ticket to the New York Marathon.
Franklin and Thurston are using their participation to encourage and lead by example, with the New York Marathon still 12 weeks away.
And Franklin is feeling reasonably happy with his latest result, saying it was enjoyable despite the tough conditions.
But the countdown is on, with Franklin's family set to grow and his training schedule set to get busier.
So Franklin will have to juggle his family commitments with his training, but he's loving the challenge.
The big man has been putting a lot of time and effort into his running since finishing football.
Franklin's Sunshine Coast run was a great outcome, with the AFL legend feeling burnt but satisfied.
The Indigenous Marathon Foundation is helping Franklin and Thurston prepare for the New York Marathon.
Franklin and Thurston are an inspiration to their squad members, who are making a difference in their communities.