He said he let the lead pack go ahead and stayed in behind running his own race - tactics that paid dividends. Lysaght will be back next year - his goal is to join the Survivors Club by running 15 in a row.
The first Rotorua woman home was Sue Crowley, who was the 12th woman home and sixth in her division, in a time of 3:20.02.
It was the 42-year-old's first marathon and a successful debut for a woman who only decided to enter the race a month ago.
"It was the big unknown," she said. "I was hoping to go under 3:30 so am pretty happy."
She joined the Lake City club's marathon clinic in January this year, but had no intention of running the marathon. But with the clinic's support she soon realised it was well within her reach.
"I never would have done it without them. They were fantastic," she said.
Crowley said she felt good after the race and was a definite starter for next year.
"It's like anything - you think I could do that better next time," she said.
Saturday's race was won by Nelson's Phil Costley who claimed his third Rotorua Marathon title in a time of 2:28:25.
The 42-year-old finished 15s ahead of relative unknown Blair McWhirter (Christchurch) after the two battled into headwinds on the second part of the course. The more experienced Costley went ahead 3km from the finish and held on for the narrowest of wins.
"A couple of times I tried to break away from him but he's a tough nut and he stayed there," said Costley.
"It was only with 3km to go, slowly and surely I started to edge away."
Costley, who has 30 national running titles to his name, said he "didn't feel flash" throughout but his strength got him home in the end.
He said he hoped to be back next year to match sister Jillian's record of four Rotorua marathon titles.
McWhirter said he was "chuffed" with the result, despite failing to cause an upset.
"With 3km to go he [Costley] put a little gap on me and I just couldn't get the legs ticking over."
Defending champion and favourite Dale Warrander was part of the lead pack for the first half of the race but began to struggle.
Going for his sixth Rotorua title, Warrander dropped behind and eventually pulled out injured.
The women's title was won by Texas-based Kiwi Liza Hunter-Galvan in 2:46.20, nine minutes ahead of Wellington's Gabrielle O'Rourke.
The 42-year-old former Olympian returned to competitive running last year after a two-year-ban for using performance-enhancing drugs.
She said she watched her father Ronald run the race in 1984 and 1985 and completing it herself had always been a goal.
"It [Rotorua] was on my bucket list to do."
Making it extra special was the fact her parents were there to cheer her on, the first time they had seen her run a marathon.
Lisa Robertson (Auckland) led the women's field for the first half of the race but may have gone out too fast, eventually dropping to third.
