The Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival is back on Sunday 11 October 2026, and with more than 40,000 runners expected across seven distances, it shapes up as one of the biggest days in Australian running. If you've got a start in the marathon or half marathon, you're now 12 weeks out, which is right at the beginning of your most important training block. Here's what you need to know about the course, how to train between now and race day, and what to bring on the day itself.
What's new for 2026
The biggest change to the Melbourne Marathon in 2026 is the course redesign. Elevation gain has been reduced by up to 20 percent, and the infamous 36km climb on Birdwood Avenue into Domain Road has been removed. For anyone who's suffered through that hill in previous years, it's significant news. The 2026 course is set up to be a genuine personal best course, and with the redesign, Melbourne now deserves its place alongside Sydney and Gold Coast as one of Australia's fastest marathons.
The festival runs across two days, 10 and 11 October, with the full marathon, half marathon, and most distances on Sunday the 11th. Seven events are on the program this year: the full marathon, wheelchair marathon, half marathon, 10km, 5km, a walk, and a new kids' 1km race.
The course
The marathon starts on Batman Avenue, near the MCG, and takes in some of Melbourne's best running terrain. You'll pass Flinders Street Station, loop through the Royal Botanic Gardens, run the edge of Albert Park Lake, and trace the St Kilda foreshore before the finish. That finish is what makes Melbourne genuinely special: a full lap inside the MCG. Running onto the ground at a packed stadium is the kind of moment you remember for a long time.
The predominantly flat course means most runners find Melbourne suits negative splits well. If you're chasing a PB, knowing how to pace conservatively in the first half is one of the most important skills to develop before race day. Our marathon pacing guide covers that in detail, including how to plan your splits and when it's safe to push.
Getting a start
The marathon and half marathon are entered by ballot, and the ballot for 2026 is now closed. If you already have your entry, you're set. If you missed it, there are still paths in: running for a registered charity with a minimum $2,000 fundraising commitment, qualifying through the Great Ocean Road Running Festival, or booking via a travel package. Shorter distances, including the 10km and 5km, have their own separate registration process and are worth checking directly on the official site at melbournemarathon.com.au.
Where your training is right now
With 12 weeks to go, you're at the start of what most marathon training plans call the peak block. The base is built. Now it's about quality sessions, long run progression, and staying injury-free. Here's roughly how the next 12 weeks should look.
Weeks one to six: build. This is where your long runs extend toward 30km and beyond, your midweek sessions get more specific, and your body adapts to genuine marathon load. Interval training once a week keeps your speed sharp without accumulating too much fatigue. If you've been skipping hill sessions, now is a good time to start, even with a flat course, because the strength carry-over helps you maintain form late in a race.
Strength training is worth keeping in the program through this block, reduced in volume but not removed. One session a week, focused on single-leg stability, glutes, and core, gives your body the structural support it needs as weekly mileage climbs.
Weeks seven to ten: consolidate and sharpen. Long runs peak, then start to come down slightly. A few sessions shift toward marathon-specific pace work, including tempo efforts and marathon-pace segments in your long runs. Fuelling becomes a serious focus here. Most runners underestimate how much long run fueling matters, and practicing your race day nutrition strategy in training is the only way to know if it works before it matters.
Weeks eleven to twelve: taper. Volume drops, intensity stays. Your body catches up with all the work you've done. Don't panic when your legs feel flat or your easy runs feel hard: this is normal and temporary. Trust the process.
Race day gear
The MCG start is typically around 7am for the full marathon. The sun in Melbourne in October can vary, but you'll almost certainly transition from low early light into full mid-morning sun somewhere around the 15 to 20km mark, depending on conditions. That swing in light means gear that adapts is worth thinking about.
The essentials:
Shoes you've trained in, not race day experiments. If you're planning to run in a carbon plate racing shoe, make sure you've done at least one or two long runs in it before October.
A GPS watch with your target splits loaded. Having your pacing plan visible on your wrist removes the guesswork on the day.
Sunglasses that handle changing light. For a race that starts in low morning light and finishes in full sun, the Adaptor lens is the practical choice. It's photochromic, which means it adjusts automatically as conditions change. You don't need to think about it while you're thinking about pacing, hydration, and everything else a marathon throws at you. Check out our full marathon gear checklist for the complete rundown on what to bring.
Nutrition: work out exactly what you'll carry and what the course provides. Melbourne has aid stations with water and sports drink. If you're using gels, know which kilometres you'll take them at, and practice that in training first.
After the race
The MCG finish line is incredible, but the days that follow a marathon are just as important to get right. Recovery from a marathon is a process that takes longer than most first-timers expect: two to three weeks of easy running before you're back to anything structured is normal. Give your legs the time they need.
Other Australian races nearby
If Melbourne isn't your A-race but you want to build toward it, the 2026 Australian running events guide has the full picture of what's on across all states. There's also a Sydney Marathon in September if you want a long run race to tune up with.
One last thing
Twelve weeks is enough time to do this well. It's also enough time to make costly mistakes if you push too hard too early or skip the recovery sessions. Trust the process, train consistently, and let race day be the reward for the work you've already done.
If you're still working out what gear to run in, our find your pair tool helps you pick the right sunglasses for your face shape and running conditions, whether you're training through Melbourne's winter mornings or racing in the October sun.
Tim Golubev
Founder, Re. (Re Your Run)
Tim built Re. after years of running in sunglasses that bounced, fogged, and ended up on his forehead. After discovering the UV damage that builds up without eye protection (even on cloudy days) and hearing the same frustrations from hundreds of other runners, he decided it was a problem worth fixing properly. With a background in Product across multiple industries, he approached it like any product problem: figure out what's broken, then build something that actually fixes it. He runs daily, co-founded Rose Bay Run Club, and Re. is his attempt to make one less thing that gets in the way of a good run.
