Geelong Running Festival

🚨 FREE RUN + EXPERT NUTRITION TALK THIS WEDNESDAY JUNE 10 🚨

Join us for Week 2 of the Geelong Running Festival Speaker Series — your chance to run, learn, connect and prepare for your best race yet.

🏃‍♂️ 6:00pm – FREE Social 5km Run
Meet at Wharf Shed Geelong and enjoy an easy out-and-back run along the stunning Geelong Waterfront to Rippleside Park. All abilities and paces welcome.

🍺 Thanks to Blackman's Brewery, every participant receives a FREE beer after the run.

🎤 7:00pm – Guest Speaker: Sophie Houghton
Fueling for Marathon & Half Marathon Training

Sophie is co-founder of Game Day Nutrition and is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Performance Dietitian for the North Melbourne AFLW program. With extensive experience working across elite and community sport, Sophie specialises in helping athletes optimise performance through practical nutrition strategies.

Topics include:
✅ Daily nutrition fundamentals

✅ Fueling before, during and after long runs

✅ Hydration and electrolytes

✅ Energy gels explained

✅ Avoiding GI issues on race day

The presentation will run for approximately 30 minutes, followed by Q&A and the opportunity to join the group for dinner downstairs at the Wharf Shed Geelong.

💥 This event is completely FREE.

Can’t make the run? No problem — come along for the presentation.

The road to the Geelong Running Festival starts here. Over the coming weeks, we’ll bring together experts from across the running, health and fitness industry to help you train smarter, stay healthy and arrive on the start line confident and prepared.

📍 Wharf Shed Geelong
🗓 Wednesday
🏃 6:00pm Run
🎤 7:00pm Presentation

More information:
https://www.teamgeelong.com/ #/wednesdayfunrun/

🌟 Meet the Geelong Running Festival Community Ambassadors 🌟

We’re excited to welcome 8 new Community Ambassadors to join Jennadene Ryan and Baden Selman as part of the inaugural Geelong Running Festival journey.

Over the past few months, we’ve been looking for runners who are registered for the marathon, proudly call Geelong home, and have been actively supporting the festival by following our channels, sharing our content, and helping spread the word through their own networks.

While their running backgrounds and abilities vary, they all share the qualities that make our running community so special — they are welcoming, humble, down-to-earth, encouraging, passionate, authentic, and always willing to support others. They understand that running is about much more than finish times; it’s about connection, friendship, and helping people achieve goals they never thought possible.

Over the coming months, we’ll be following their training, sharing their stories, celebrating their successes, and giving you a behind-the-scenes look at their journey to the start line.

Please join us in welcoming our 2026 Geelong Running Festival Community Ambassadors:

🏃 Alex Griffiths
🏃 Baden Selman
🏃 Bradley White
🏃‍♀️ Jennadene Ryan
🏃‍♀️ Kath Bourke
🏃‍♀️ Kathleen O’Brien
🏃‍♀️ Michelle Morrissey
🏃‍♀️ Nova Maulani-Hutchinson
🏃 Sebastian Reaburn
🏃 Tim Henry

These ambassadors represent the heart and soul of our event and the incredible running community that makes Geelong such a special place.

Welcome to the team! 🎉💙

🌎🏃‍♂️ GLOBAL RUNNING DAY 🏃‍♀️🌎

Tomorrow we celebrate the simple act that brings millions of people together across the world — running.

Whether you’re chasing a marathon PB, training for your first 5km, enjoying a social jog with friends, or simply getting outside for some fresh air, every step counts.

Running builds confidence, improves health, creates friendships, and connects communities. It’s more than a sport — it’s a lifestyle that inspires people of all ages and abilities to challenge themselves and discover what they’re capable of.

At the Geelong Running Festival, we’re proud to be part of this global movement and can’t wait to welcome thousands of runners to our beautiful waterfront this September.

So lace up your shoes, get out the door, and celebrate the joy of running!

💙 Every runner has a story.
💙 Every finish line matters.
💙 Every step is worth celebrating.

Happy Global Running Day from the Geelong Running Festival team!

🚨 OFFICIAL NUTRITION PARTNER ANNOUNCEMENT 📣

We’re excited to welcome GU Energy Labs as the official nutrition sponsor of the 2026 Geelong Running Festival, providing GU Energy Gels to help fuel our marathon runners.

GU Energy Gels are designed to deliver a convenient source of carbohydrates and electrolytes during endurance events, helping runners maintain energy levels throughout their race. Some flavours also contain caffeine for an extra boost when it matters most.

A variety of GU Energy Gel flavours will be available at the 25km and 30km aid stations on the marathon course.

If you’d like to trial them before race day, join us at our Sunday long runs, where runners can sample the Espresso Love and Mandarin Orange flavours and practice their race-day nutrition strategy ahead of the Geelong Running Festival.

Remember: race day is not the day to try something new. Use your training runs to find the flavour and fuelling plan that works best for you.

🚨 Don’t Miss This! 🚨

This Wednesday marks Week 1 of the Geelong Running Festival Speaker Series – a free opportunity to run, learn, connect, and prepare for your best race yet.

🏃‍♂️ 6:00pm – FREE Social 5km Run
Meet at the Wharf Shed and enjoy an easy out-and-back run along the stunning Geelong Waterfront to Rippleside Park. All abilities and paces are welcome.

🍺 Thanks to Blackman's Brewery, every participant receives a FREE beer post-run.

🎤 7:00pm – Expert Presentation with Pro Feet Footwear
Topic: Footwear & Running Gear Essentials

Whether you’re training for your first half marathon or chasing a marathon PB, your footwear and gear choices can make a huge difference. The ProFeet team will cover:

✅ Choosing the right shoe for your running style.

✅ Building an effective shoe rotation.

✅ Carbon-plated “super shoes” – benefits, risks, and who should use them.

✅ Avoiding common footwear-related injuries.

✅ Socks, apparel, and recovery tools that actually matter.

The presentation will run for approximately 30 minutes, followed by the opportunity to ask questions and join the group for dinner downstairs at the Wharf Shed.

This event is completely FREE. Can’t make the run? No problem – come along for the presentation.

The road to the Geelong Running Festival starts here. Over the coming weeks, we’ll bring together experts from across the running, health and fitness industry to help you train smarter, stay healthy, and arrive on the start line confident and prepared.

See you Wednesday!

More information here: https://www.teamgeelong.com/ #/wednesdayfunrun/

4 months. 16 weeks. 112 days.

The countdown is on to the inaugural Geelong Running Festival!

For marathon runners, it’s go time. The foundation phase is over and the real work begins as you build toward race day. For half marathon runners, your training block is just around the corner.

In just 112 days, the streets of Geelong will come alive with thousands of runners, volunteers, spectators, and supporters celebrating everything that makes our city great.

From the waterfront to the finish line, we’re preparing to deliver an unforgettable event and create a new tradition for Geelong.

Geelong, are you ready?

🏃‍♂️ 112 days to go
🏃‍♀️ 16 weeks to go
🏅 1 inaugural Geelong Running Festival

Let’s make history together on Sunday, September 20! Sign up today: www.geelongrunningfestival.com.au

💧 OFFICIAL HYDRATION PARTNER ANNOUNCEMENT 💧

We’re excited to welcome Gatorade Lemon Lime as the Official Hydration Partner of the Geelong Running Festival!

Whether you’re tackling the marathon, half marathon or 6.5km, staying hydrated is key to performing at your best. That’s why we’re partnering with one of the world’s most trusted sports hydration brands.

Gatorade Lemon Lime is specifically formulated to help replace what you lose in sweat during exercise, delivering:⚡ Electrolytes to aid hydration⚡ 6.3g of carbohydrates per 100ml to help fuel performance⚡ The refreshing taste runners know and trust!

Participants will have access to Gatorade on course, helping keep runners hydrated from the start line to the finish line.

Get ready to train smarter, race stronger, and fuel your best performance at the Geelong Running Festival.

🚨 VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Be part of history at the inaugural Geelong Running Festival in 2026

On Sunday, September 20, thousands of runners will hit the streets of Geelong for the city’s first ever marathon — and we need an incredible team of volunteers to help bring it to life.

From water stations and course marshals to runner support and event operations, volunteers are the heartbeat of any great event. Whether you are a runner, sports lover, student, community group or simply want to be part of something special, we would love to have you involved.

✅ Meet new people

✅ Experience the excitement from inside the event

✅ Support the running community

✅ Help showcase Geelong to the world

No experience necessary — just energy, enthusiasm and a passion for community.

👕 Gear up with your free event Tee & Hat

💰 Opportunity to volunteer for a greater cause with fundraising opportunities for community groups and charities

🏃‍♂️ Option to run for free next year: FREE Community Run, OR 50% OFF Half Marathon or Marathon

Apply now via the volunteer page below.
https://www.geelongrunningfestival.com.au/volunteer

Shifts take place between 5am - 2pm on Sunday 20 September, additionally there are limited shifts on Friday & Saturday to support at the Runners Expo.

Questions? Please email - [email protected]