Sports · Running & Athletics · 1 day ago
Melbourne Marathon starts on a flatter course with about 20,000 runners
The 2026 Melbourne Marathon has started in Melbourne, Australia, with about 20,000 runners taking on the marathon.
The elite field includes Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge and women’s course record holder Sinead Diver.
This is the 48th edition of an event that began in 1978 with about 2,000 runners.
The marathon course runs from Batman Avenue to the MCG and has fewer turns and about 20 per cent less elevation gain than last year’s route.
Organisers also removed a hill at the 36-kilometre mark, making the course flatter and potentially faster.
The event is part of a two-day festival expected to draw about 66,000 participants across its events.
The half marathon is scheduled to start at 9:45am, and marathon leaders are expected to finish in just over two hours.
The Melbourne Marathon began on a flatter, likely faster course, with about 20,000 runners taking on the 42-kilometre race.
The course starts on Batman Avenue and finishes at the MCG.
Compared with last year, it has fewer turns and about 20 per cent less elevation gain.
The 2026 event has shifted to a two-day festival, with the marathon and half marathon scheduled for the day.
About 66,000 runners, walkers and rollers are expected across the weekend’s events.
- Who
- About 20,000 runners are taking part in the marathon.
- What
- The Melbourne Marathon is being run on a flatter course.
- When
- The event is taking place in 2026. The marathon was scheduled to begin at 6:15am.
- Where
- Melbourne, from Batman Avenue to the MCG.
- Why
- The course has fewer turns and about 20 per cent less elevation gain than last year, making it likely to be faster.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
No direct quotes in the coverage so far.
The first Melbourne Marathon was held, with about 2,000 runners on a course from Frankston to Melbourne Town Hall.
The marathon was held virtually because of COVID restrictions.
The event shifted to a two-day festival and introduced a flatter marathon course.
The marathon was scheduled to start.
- Marathon distance
- 42.2 kilometres
- Runners
- About 20,000
- Start
- Batman Avenue
- Finish
- MCG
- Course change
- About 20 per cent less elevation gain than last year
- Weekend participants
- Expected 66,000
Sources
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