AFL legend Lance Franklin and NRL icon Johnathan Thurston have taken another step in their switch to running ahead of a crack at the New York Marathon.

The retired sporting stars have laced up and headed out on the roads in partnership with the Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF).

The journey kicked off with half-marathon debuts on the Gold Coast last month, where Thurston had Franklin’s number by a shade under five minutes.

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But Franklin turned the tables on the Sunshine Coast over the weekend.

The 38-year-old crossed the finish line in 1:34.22 with Thurston (1:35:18) having waved him by just before the 10km mark.

“(The body) is pretty burnt at the moment. She was tough going,” Thurston told Sunrise.

“There’s a couple of hills in this Sunshine Coast half, so the hill’s got us, but I’m glad I got through it and finished.

“The big fella here was outstanding, he went past me at about 10km so I just waved him through and kept going. It was really enjoyable.”

Franklin added: “They said it was going to be flat, too. The first hill I was like ‘oh wow, this is a lot’. But nah it was good fun.”

Thurston retired from rugby league at the end of 2018 while Franklin just ticked over two years since his final game of footy.

The pair are being helped along by Australian marathon great Rob de Castella and long-time marathon runner Charlie Maher.

Franklin’s Sunshine Coast run was a five-minute improvement from the Gold Coast, with the New York Marathon still 12 weeks away.

“I’m reasonably happy with that,” the big man said of his latest result.

“Obviously to do a marathon or half-marathon at any stage of your life is pretty difficult.

“I’ve been putting a lot of time and effort into it, spending a lot of time running now that I’ve finished football. It was enjoyable.”

But the countdown is on in more ways than one — Franklin’s wife Jesinta is pregnant with the couple’s third child.

“It’s going to be busy, it’s going to be very busy but it’s so exciting obviously,” he said.

“The third’s on its way, will be born late December, early January, which is really exciting. We’re going to be busy.

“It’s juggling being a father and making time to get out and be active and run around, it’s that juggling act, but absolutely loving it.”

Monique Wright laughed: “The third one tips you over the edge, Buddy, but in a great way.”

Franklin replied: “Yeah, I know, that’s exactly right. JT would know, JT’s got four!”

The IMF group will next tackle a 30km race at Alice Springs to formally book their ticket to the New York Marathon.

“We’re just trying to make sure we leave our mark but also encourage and lead by example with our squad members,” Thurston said.

“They’re an inspiration, the communities they come for and they’re certainly making a difference as well.”