When running meets digital wayfinding: Gui's Sydney Marathon adventure

At PAM, we're big believers that the best ideas come from real life moments. Sometimes that means solving complex challenges for a stadium or a smart city, and sometimes it means one of our team finding a creative way to make their weekend hobby more connected.

Meet Gui. He's PAM's lead software engineer and, outside of code, a dedicated runner. Over the weekend, Gui lined up for the Sydney Marathon, the newest event to join the world's major marathon circuit. But Gui didn't just run the race, he found a way to bring PAM along for the journey.

Turning the marathon into a mapped experience

Ahead of the race, Gui built a tracker using PAM's digital wayfinding technology. He uploaded the full marathon route onto a PAM map and set it up so that our team could see his progress in real time. Every checkpoint, every stretch along the harbour, every climb over the bridge, we were right there with him, following his journey as it unfolded.

For us, it was more than just a clever hack. It was a reminder of how PAM's platform can bring people together around shared experiences, whether it's guiding tens of thousands of fans at a stadium or, in this case, letting colleagues cheer on a friend as he pushed through 42 kilometres of Sydney's streets.

Why this matters

What Gui created for fun captures something bigger about PAM: digital wayfinding technology isn't just about directions, it's about connection. A stadium map can make sure fans don't miss a kickoff. A campus map can help new students feel confident on their first day. And, apparently, a marathon map can make a tough race a little less lonely.

Gui crossed the finish line, and we couldn't be prouder. Even better, he wasn't just running for himself, Gui ran to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney.