Melbourne Marathon
Melbourne Marathon race day weather
Cool start, strong wind shifts
Runners will face temperatures starting at 57°F, gradually rising to 65°F by race end. A significant north wind at 36 mph will create headwinds from miles 9 to 20, prompting runners to adjust their pacing through these segments. With humidity at 59%, maintaining hydration will be crucial. The tailwind from miles 1-8 and 21-22 presents an opportunity for faster splits, so runners should capitalize on these beneficial stretches.
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Melbourne Marathon route and elevation
The Melbourne Marathon course has about 1,167 ft (356 m) of climbing and 1,120 ft (341 m) of descent, a net rise of about 47 ft (14 m). It is hillier than 55% of the marathon courses racecast.io has mapped, measured by what the hills cost in time. The hardest mile is mile 1, with 113 ft (34 m) of climbing.
Biggest climbs
- Miles 1.6 to 2.1: climbs about 60 ft (18 m).
- Miles 15 to 16.9: climbs about 70 ft (21 m).
- Miles 24.8 to 25.3: climbs about 75 ft (23 m).
What the hills cost
- 3:30 on a flat course is about 3:31 here (1 minute slower).
- 4:00 on a flat course is about 4:01 here (1 minute slower).
- 4:30 on a flat course is about 4:31 here (1 minute slower).
Hills only, priced mile by mile on the course map. The pace calculator above adds the race-day weather.
Even-effort splits for a 3:30, 4:00 or 4:30 finish
| Mile | Climb | Descent | 3:30 | 4:00 | 4:30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 113 ft | 74 ft | 8:17 | 9:28 | 10:39 |
| 2 | 83 ft | 52 ft | 8:12 | 9:23 | 10:33 |
| 3 | 61 ft | 79 ft | 7:54 | 9:01 | 10:09 |
| 4 | 34 ft | 63 ft | 7:50 | 8:58 | 10:05 |
| 5 | 19 ft | 32 ft | 7:55 | 9:02 | 10:10 |
| 6 | 25 ft | 21 ft | 7:59 | 9:07 | 10:16 |
| 7 | 17 ft | 7 ft | 8:03 | 9:12 | 10:21 |
| 8 | 19 ft | 26 ft | 7:56 | 9:04 | 10:12 |
| 9 | 44 ft | 34 ft | 8:02 | 9:12 | 10:20 |
| 10 | 1 ft | 20 ft | 7:53 | 9:00 | 10:08 |
| 11 | 20 ft | 21 ft | 7:57 | 9:06 | 10:14 |
| 12 | 35 ft | 24 ft | 8:03 | 9:12 | 10:21 |
| 13 | 29 ft | 27 ft | 7:59 | 9:06 | 10:15 |
| 14 | 37 ft | 62 ft | 7:51 | 8:59 | 10:06 |
| 15 | 68 ft | 71 ft | 7:57 | 9:05 | 10:13 |
| 16 | 27 ft | 3 ft | 8:09 | 9:19 | 10:29 |
| 17 | 59 ft | 24 ft | 8:15 | 9:26 | 10:36 |
| 18 | 67 ft | 99 ft | 7:50 | 8:57 | 10:05 |
| 19 | 34 ft | 39 ft | 7:57 | 9:04 | 10:12 |
| 20 | 65 ft | 42 ft | 8:09 | 9:19 | 10:29 |
| 21 | 58 ft | 81 ft | 7:52 | 9:00 | 10:07 |
| 22 | 86 ft | 53 ft | 8:14 | 9:25 | 10:35 |
| 23 | 43 ft | 26 ft | 8:06 | 9:15 | 10:25 |
| 24 | 42 ft | 69 ft | 7:51 | 8:58 | 10:06 |
| 25 | 94 ft | 88 ft | 8:01 | 9:10 | 10:18 |
| 26 | 76 ft | 85 ft | 7:55 | 9:03 | 10:11 |
| Last 0.2 | 53 ft | 38 ft | 1:53 | 2:09 | 2:25 |
Explore the Melbourne Marathon course with the weather and your pace along the route, or compare it with other races.
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About the Melbourne Marathon
The Melbourne Marathon has been held annually since 1978, making it Australia's longest-running marathon. The marathon finishes inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and 2026 introduces a redesigned, flatter course that removes the long-standing Birdwood Avenue climb. The festival drew a record field of roughly 50,000 runners across all distances in 2025. Wikipedia
