Canberra Marathon Festival
Official WebsiteAbout This Event
Two days of racing in Canberra on 10-11 April 2027: Marathon, Half Marathon, Runner's World 10K, Charterpoint 5K and a 2km Kids Dash, starting near Old Parliament House on closed roads.
Events & entry fees
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Saturday 10 April
-
10km7am$95
-
5km8:30am$58
-
Kids Dash Kids9am$40
Sunday 11 April
-
Marathon6:15am$210
-
Half Marathon7:15am$155
Entry fees as listed on 29 Oct 2026. Prices often rise after early bird, so check the entry page for today's price.
Quick Facts
- Date
- Saturday, 10 April 2027
- Terrain
- Road
- Location
- Old Parliament House, John Dunmore Lang Place, Parkes, Canberra, ACT
- Entry Fee
- $40 - $210
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Start Time
- Marathon 6:15 AM Sun; 10K 7:00 AM Sat
- Good for Beginners
- Yes - 2km Kids Dash, 5K and 10K options
Australia's oldest marathon, run since 1976
- first race, 30 starters
- 1976
- starters at the 1984 peak
- ~2,400
- fastest winning time (1995)
- 2:15:02
- marathon time limit
- 7.5 hrs
The first Canberra Marathon was run in November 1976 with 30 starters. John Harding founded it, directed it and won it, in 2:36:39, so he could get a qualifying time for the Australian Marathon. It moved to April in 1979, and its organiser now bills it as Australia's oldest marathon.
The field grew to almost 2,400 starters in 1984, and in 1995 the race was Australia's trial for the IAAF World Marathon Cup. It has only missed three years: 2000, for Sydney's Olympic host city marathon; 2010, over an ownership dispute; and 2020, for COVID.
Since 2014 it has been a single lap from Old Parliament House instead of three laps from Telopea Park. Regulars collect titles named after the city's designer: ten finishes makes you a Griffin, 20 a Burley Griffin and 30 a Walter Burley Griffin.
- 1976First race in November: 30 starters, won by founder John Harding in 2:36:39.
- 1979Moves from November to April.
- 1984The field peaks at almost 2,400 starters.
- 1995The race is Australia's trial for the IAAF World Marathon Cup.
- 2014A single lap starting and finishing at Old Parliament House replaces three laps from Telopea Park.
- 2027The festival runs Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 April, marathon and half on the Sunday.
Free training
Training for Canberra Marathon Festival?
Race day is Sat 10 Apr 2027, 23 weeks away. Free training plans start up to 20 weeks before race day, so a plan for it can start from 23 November. Save it now; until then, 12 weeks of building is a good start.
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Event Details
Course Description
The Canberra Marathon Festival runs on closed roads through Australia's capital, with the Event Village at John Dunmore Lang Place, beside Old Parliament House. The AIMS-certified marathon starts on King George Terrace, loops Parliament House, then runs through Telopea Park and down Kings Avenue onto Parkes Way and climbs Anzac Parade towards the Australian War Memorial. It comes back through Barton and along Adelaide Avenue to Weston Park, runs beside Lake Burley Griffin on Alexandrina Drive and finishes on King Edward Terrace. The half marathon loops the Parliamentary Triangle and heads out along Adelaide Avenue and Alexandrina Drive; Saturday's 10K and 5K use Flynn Drive, the 10K also running beside the lake.
Course guide, section by section
- Start - King George Terrace
The marathon starts at 6:15am on King George Terrace, Parkes, with a wheelchair wave at 6:05am and Wave B at 6:25am. The event village is at John Dunmore Lang Place, beside Old Parliament House.
- Parliament House and Kings Avenue
The race opens with a loop around Parliament House, then runs through Telopea Park and down Kings Avenue onto the open roads of Parkes Way.
- Anzac Parade
Runners climb Anzac Parade towards the Australian War Memorial, which the organiser calls one of the standout moments of the course.
- Barton to Weston Park
The course comes back through Barton and follows State Circle and Adelaide Avenue out to Weston Park.
- Alexandrina Drive and the finish
A stretch along Alexandrina Drive runs beside Lake Burley Griffin before the course turns back via State Circle and Brisbane Avenue to the finish on King Edward Terrace. Everyone must finish by 2pm, about 7.5 hours after the start.
- The shorter races
The half marathon (Sunday 7:15am) loops the Parliamentary Triangle, then runs out and back on Adelaide Avenue into Yarralumla and along Alexandrina Drive. Saturday's 10K follows Flynn Drive and Alexandrina Drive beside the lake; the 5K goes out along Flynn Drive and back.
Winners & records
2026 winners
| Race | Category | Winner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon | Men | Jarrod Osborne | 2:24:49 |
| Marathon | Women | Demi Caldwell | 2:43:24 |
| Half Marathon | Men | Ed Goddard | 1:06:02 |
| Half Marathon | Women | Radka Kahlefeldt | 1:18:39 |
| 10K | Men | Michael Roeger | 30:31 |
| 10K | Women | Jessica Pascoe | 37:32 |
| 5K | Men | Nathaniel Brisbane | 14:59 |
| 5K | Women | Izzy Murphy | 18:21 |
Fastest winning times
| Race | Category | Holder | Time | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon | Men | John Andrews | 2:15:02 | 1995 |
| Marathon | Women | Sue Hobson | 2:32:57 | 1994 |
From the race's list of winners on Wikipedia. The course has changed several times, most recently in 2014.
Getting There
All distances start at John Dunmore Lang Place in Parkes, beside Old Parliament House in central Canberra, where the Event Village is also based. The Event Village opens at 6:00am on Saturday 10 April, and the Marathon starts at 6:15am on Sunday 11 April. Roads are closed for the event, so check the official event info and FAQ pages for parking and transport arrangements before race weekend.
Where to Stay
Places to stay near the start, priced for race weekend.
We may earn a small referral fee if you book through this map — you pay the same price.
Weather & What to Pack
April is autumn in Canberra, with average temperatures ranging from 7.0°C to 20.4°C. It is a mild season with generally low humidity and occasional rain. Runners should prepare with layered clothing and stay hydrated with water and electrolytes. A light jacket is recommended for cooler mornings.
Race details last updated 29 Oct 2026
Ready to run Canberra Marathon Festival?
Official WebsiteFrequently Asked Questions
When is the 2027 Canberra Marathon Festival?
The festival runs over two days, Saturday 10 April and Sunday 11 April 2027. The 10K, 5K and Kids Dash are on Saturday; the Marathon and Half Marathon are on Sunday.
What time does each race start?
Saturday: Runner's World 10K 7:00am, Charterpoint 5K 8:30am, Kids Dash 9:00am. Sunday: Marathon 6:15am, Half Marathon 7:15am. The Event Village opens at 6:00am on Saturday.
How much does it cost to enter?
Early Bird prices on the registration page are $210 for the Marathon, $155 for the Half Marathon, $95 for the 10K, $58 for the 5K and $40 for the Kids Dash. Early Bird pricing ends at 11:59pm on 3 December 2026.
How long is the Kids Dash?
The Kids Dash is an approximately 2km timed event, held on Saturday 10 April at 9:00am.
Is the course certified and are the roads closed?
The organiser describes the event as run on closed roads, and the Marathon is AIMS-certified.
What is the marathon cut-off?
All marathoners have until 2pm to cross the finish line, about 7.5 hours after the 6:15am start. Marathon runners must be at least 18 on race day.
parkruns near this race
Free, timed 5km every Saturday morning. A good hit-out between races.
- Mount Ainslie parkrun Sat 8:00am · 2.9 km away · Campbell
- Burley Griffin parkrun Sat 8:00am · 4.0 km away · Yarralumla
- Woden Town parkrun Sat 8:00am · 6.3 km away · Woden
More Races in ACT
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