Geelong Running Festival 2026: Marathon, Half Marathon and Community Races

Geelong Running Festival 2026

The inaugural Geelong Running Festival culminates on Sunday 20 September 2026, when runners take to traffic-free streets for Geelong's first marathon, alongside a half marathon, wheelchair half marathon and 6.5km community event.

The 42.195km Zeekr Marathon and RedZed Half Marathon begin at 7am outside Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre on Western Beach Road. The wheelchair half marathon starts five minutes earlier, while the Henley Homes Community 6.5km gets underway at 7.25am.

All four Sunday races finish at Steampacket Gardens on Eastern Beach Road. The courses use Geelong's city streets and waterfront, with the longer events taking runners past landmarks including Kardinia Park and offering views across Corio Bay and the Eastern Beach foreshore. The marathon follows a single-loop course with 209 metres of elevation gain.

Both the marathon and half marathon courses are World Athletics certified and recognised by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. Marathon entrants must be at least 18 on race day, while the half marathon has a minimum age of 16. The 6.5km event is open to participants aged 13 and over, with children aged seven to 12 permitted when accompanied by a registered adult.

Kids and all-abilities races

The racing begins on Saturday 19 September at Steampacket Gardens. The GYG Kids program includes an 800m race at 8am and a one-mile event at 8.10am, followed by the GYG All Abilities one-mile event at 9am.

The weekend also includes the Brooks Running Expo at Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre. It runs from 8am to 7pm on Friday 18 September and 8am to 6pm on Saturday, serving as the main race-bib collection point and merchandise expo.

Sunday's program continues at Steampacket Gardens with a post-race party from 8am to 2pm. Spectators can also follow the races from designated areas around the course, with live music, activities and other on-course entertainment planned across the morning.

The festival has been developed over several years by three-time Australian Olympian Lee Troop and Team Geelong Running, with support from the City of Greater Geelong. Its first edition adds a full road marathon to Geelong's sporting calendar while giving recreational runners, children and all-abilities participants shorter ways to take part.

Saturday 19 September 2026
8am - GYG Kids 800m; 8.10am - GYG Kids 1-Mile; 9am - GYG All Abilities 1-Mile
Steampacket Gardens, Geelong VIC

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Sunday 20 September 2026
6.55am - Wheelchair RedZed Half Marathon; 7am - Zeekr Marathon and RedZed Half Marathon; 7.25am - Henley Homes Community 6.5km
Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, Geelong VIC

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