Melbourne Marathon
The Lowdown
The Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival is Australia's premier marathon and the largest running festival in the country. The flat, fast course starts on Batman Avenue near Rod Laver Arena and winds past iconic Melbourne landmarks including Flinders Street Station, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake and the St Kilda foreshore, before finishing with a celebratory lap on the turf inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Held each October, the marathon (42.195km) is part of a festival that also offers a half marathon, 10km, 5km and shorter community distances. Entry to the marathon is by ballot due to high demand, with the field expanded to 20,000 runners.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Major marathon
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Excellent spectator turnout
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) finish
Flinders Street Station
Royal Botanic Gardens
Albert Park Lake
St Kilda foreshore
Batman Avenue start near Rod Laver Arena
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
AU
Eligibility
- Minimum age 18 for the marathon
- Marathon entry via ballot, charity, qualifying time, or travel package
Entry Methods
- Public ballot
- Charity fundraising (minimum AUD $2,000)
- Travel/tour packages
- Qualifying times on AIMS-certified courses
- Returning participants (Spartans)
Predominantly flat course suited to fast times
Largest running festival in Australia
All distances finish on the turf inside the MCG
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Community
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