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Sunshine Coast Marathon
The Sunshine Coast Marathon is a flat course of 42.2 km with 42 m of climbing. Its lowest point is 2 m and its highest 15 m above sea level. Next race: Sunday 1 August 2027, starting at 06:00.
At a glance
- Race day
- The 2027 race
- Start
- 06:006:00 AM
- Distance
- 42.2 km26.2 mi
- Marathon · Half marathon · 10K
- Total climb
- 42 m138 ft
- Highest point 13 m43 ft above lowest
- Time limit
- 6 h 20 min
- Finish closes 12:2012:20 PM
The course
Drag along the profileThe marathon is a single lap that starts and finishes at Alexandra Headland, runs through Twin Waters and Mudjimba, and crosses the Sunshine Motorway bridge twice, at km 16.0 to 16.4 and km 33.0 to 33.4.
Start, finish
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Height drawn many times taller than life · GEDTM30
0 10 20 30 40 km
0 10 20 26.2 mi
Dashed: bridge upright dashes: cut-offs
Your 5 gels, at the orange marksFor a 4:00 finish, one every 40 minutes
- km 7mile 4.4
- km 14.1mile 8.7
- km 21.1mile 13.1
- km 28.1mile 17.5
- km 35.2mile 21.8
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- One lap from Alexandra Headland, over the Sunshine Motorway bridge twiceOne lap from Alexandra Headland, the Sunshine Motorway bridge crossed at km 16 and km 33.
- A coast that never leaves 15 m42.0 m of climbing, between 2 m and 15 m above sea level, finish level with the start.
- A 6:00am gun and five cut-off checkpoints6:00am start, 6 h 20 limit, checkpoints at 13.5, 25, 28.5, 34 and 39 km.
Course notes 3 short reads on the course
km 0 to 42.2GeometryOne lap from Alexandra Headland, over the Sunshine Motorway bridge twiceOne lap from Alexandra Headland, the Sunshine Motorway bridge crossed at km 16 and km 33.
The organiser’s 2025 course is a single lap in place of the older two-lap course. The marathon page says it starts and finishes on Alexandra Parade at Alexandra Headland and takes in Twin Waters and Mudjimba, with the Sunshine Motorway bridge crossed twice for views over the water. On that course the first crossing is at km 16.0 to 16.4 and the return crossing at km 33.0 to 33.4.
The organiser’s FAQ says the single lap means fewer turnarounds and less congestion, and that the course is AIMS-certified.
Measured
Whole courseGradientA coast that never leaves 15 m42.0 m of climbing, between 2 m and 15 m above sea level, finish level with the start.
The organiser calls the new route “predominantly flat” and the numbers agree. The highest point is 15.4 m at km 6.0, the lowest 2.1 m at km 31.9, and the whole race adds up to 42.0 m of climbing, spread over small rises rather than any one hill. The finish at Alexandra Headland sits at 4.2 m, level with the start.
Measured
Whole courseTacticsA 6:00am gun and five cut-off checkpoints6:00am start, 6 h 20 limit, checkpoints at 13.5, 25, 28.5, 34 and 39 km.
The organiser recommends arriving at 5:00am for the 6:00am start. Cut-offs are 8:01am at 13.5 km, 9:45am at the Mudjimba Esplanade U-turn at 25 km, 10:16am at 28.5 km, 11:06am at 34 km and 11:51am at 39 km, inside an overall limit of 6 hours 20 minutes from the gun. The minimum age is 17.
Sourced
Race weekend
Sunday 1 August Race day
-
06:006:00 AM
Marathon start Alexandra Parade, Alexandra Headland. Recommended arrival time is 5:00am. The start and the finish are both at Alexandra Headland. -
12:2012:20 PM
Overall cut-off 6 hours 20 minutes from the gun. 6:20 limit: 9:00/km for 42.195 km6:20 limit: 14:29/mi for 26.2 mi
Cut-offs (5)
-
08:018:01 AM
Cut-off at 13.5 km Denna St / Maroochy Waters Dr. Clock time 08:01 on a 6:00am gun. 2:01 limit: 8:57/km for 13.5 km2:01 limit: 14:25/mi for 8.4 mi -
09:459:45 AM
Cut-off at 25 km Mudjimba Esplanade U-turn. Clock time 09:45 on a 6:00am gun. 3:45 limit: 9:00/km for 25 km3:45 limit: 14:29/mi for 15.5 mi -
10:1610:16 AM
Cut-off at 28.5 km Ocean Dr / Nojoor Rd. Clock time 10:16 on a 6:00am gun. 4:16 limit: 8:58/km for 28.5 km4:16 limit: 14:27/mi for 17.7 mi -
11:0611:06 AM
Cut-off at 34 km Deanna St / Bradman Ave. Clock time 11:06 on a 6:00am gun. 5:06 limit: 9:00/km for 34 km5:06 limit: 14:29/mi for 21.1 mi -
11:5111:51 AM
Cut-off at 39 km The Esplanade / First Ave. Clock time 11:51 on a 6:00am gun. 5:51 limit: 9:00/km for 39 km5:51 limit: 14:29/mi for 24.2 mi
Times as published by the organiser, in Sunshine Coast time, checked . Confirm on their site before you travel.
The forecast for Sunday
Race morning, on the record
Add to calendar .ics file, times in Sunshine Coast time
Entry
Race fuel
Energy gel
5 gels for Sunshine Coast, plus 1 spare
Finish
One every 40 minutes, the orange marks on the profile. Sunshine Coast stays within 13 m43 ft of height, so they go by the clock:
Under about 75 minutes most runners need no gel: water at the aid stations does it.
- km 7mile 4.4
- km 14.1mile 8.7
- km 21.1mile 13.1
- km 28.1mile 17.5
- km 35.2mile 21.8
For your long training runs:
Our pick: SiS BETA Fuel gel, box of 6, strawberry and lime. 40 g of carbohydrate a gel, about twice a usual gel, from two kinds of sugar your body takes up side by side. Enough for race day and two test long runs.
Easy to forget on race morning: pack them with your bib the night before.
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In Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Salted Caramel, 24-pack, the best seller there.
Outside the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, Spain and Portugal, Italy, the rest of the EU and Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Chocolate Outrage, 24-pack on Amazon.com, the best seller there.
Anti-chafe
Compeed anti-blister stick, 8 ml
An invisible layer before the start keeps seams, straps and shoes from rubbing skin raw.
Put it on before you leave for the start: heels and toes, inner thighs, under a bra or heart-rate strap.
Try it on a long run first, like everything you use on race day.
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We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
Number belt
Compressport Race Belt
Holds your bib without safety pins through your top, with loops for up to 8 gels.
Clip the bib on the night before, so it goes on with your shorts in the morning.
Keep the number on the front, where officials and photographers can see it.
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Electrolytes
SiS Hydro electrolyte tablets, tube of 20
One tablet in a bottle puts back some of the salt you sweat out.
One tablet in 500 ml of water in the hour before the start.
Only if you have used them in training: nothing new on race day.
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Blister plasters
Compeed blister plasters, medium, 6
One in a pocket cushions a blister if one starts.
Put it on clean, dry skin and leave it until it comes off by itself.
Give a couple to whoever comes to cheer, so they are there at the km you need them.
Get it on Amazon
We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
Questions about the Sunshine Coast Marathon
- Is the Sunshine Coast Marathon course flat?
- Yes. It has 42 m of climbing over 42.2 km. The highest point is 13 m above the lowest.
- When is the Sunshine Coast Marathon 2027?
- Sunday 1 August 2027. The start is at 06:00.
- What is the time limit at the Sunshine Coast Marathon?
- Runners have 6 h 20 min to finish. The finish closes at 12:20.
- Where does the Sunshine Coast Marathon start?
- Start: Alexandra Parade, Alexandra Headland.
Keep exploring
More races to look at after the Sunshine Coast Marathon.
