Oceania / Australia / Melbourne
Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival — Half marathon 2026
At the starting line
A race worth the journey.
The Nike Melbourne half marathon is a road race in the Melbourne Marathon Festival. Runners start on Batman Avenue and finish inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the festival’s signature stadium finish.
Know the course
Race route
Explore the course and the climbs before you get to the starting line.
Half marathon
Official course trackInteractive map requires JavaScript. The course source is linked below.
Estimated elevation
Download elevation CSVApproximate ascent 173 mApproximate descent 162 m
Distances on this chart are approximate and follow the supplied track.
Terrain estimate · mapzen · Prepared
Terrain estimates may differ from the road surface, especially on bridges and in tunnels. Sampled every 100 m with a three-sample median filter.
Organizer course source · Checked
Event history
First held in 1992
The Melbourne half marathon was first held in 1992, fourteen years after the original marathon. It now shares the festival’s MCG finish.
Previous winners
The last ten completed editions where results can be verified. Overall men's and women's winners for this distance.
| Edition | Men | Time | Women | Time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Haftu Strintzos | 1:02:13 | Izzi Batt-Doyle | 1:08:55 | Results ↗ |
| 2024 | Andrew Buchanan | 1:01:42 | Leanne Pompeani | 1:09:01 | Results ↗ |
| 2023 | Jack Rayner | 1:03:09 | Genevieve Gregson | 1:10:07 | Results ↗ |
| 2022 | Jack Rayner | 1:02:16 | Jessica Stenson | 1:12:22 | Results ↗ |
| 2021 | Jack Rayner | 1:02:30 | Izzi Batt-Doyle | 1:10:16 | Results ↗ |
| 2019 | Thomas Do Canto | 1:04:29 | Makda Haji Harun | 1:11:15 | Results ↗ |
| 2018 | Brett Robinson | 1:04:15 | Melanie Panayiotou | 1:15:17 | Results ↗ |
| 2017 | Brett Robinson | 1:04:01 | Makda Haji | 1:10:39 | Results ↗ |
| 2016 | Brett Robinson | 1:06:42 | Eloise Wellings | 1:14:18 | Results ↗ |
| 2015 | Jono Peters | 1:05:34 | Lisa Weightman | 1:11:00 | Results ↗ |
Ten completed in-person editions through 2025; 2020 was virtual and is excluded. Gun times from the official timing archives, World Athletics 2024 results and organizer history for 2025/2015. Separate half-marathon podiums only.
Runner perspectives
Selected summaries of public runner reviews. These describe the editions and distances noted, and experiences may change.
A 2014 full-marathon runner describes the festival’s memorable MCG finish. This is a shared festival perspective from the marathon, not evidence about the half-marathon route.
Adrian Lazar Adler · Read review ↗2014Marathon; shared festival perspective
Lambert’s 2018 half-marathon report praises the MCG finish and encouraging spectators, but describes crowded tram-track sections, wind, heat and slow water stops. She enjoyed the run while finding parts of the course repetitive.
Cathie Lambert · Read review ↗2018Half marathon
Typical race weather
October in Melbourne
- Average daytime high
- 18.7°C
- Average overnight low
- 9.4°C
- Average monthly precipitation
- 61 mm
October averages suggest mild spring days and cool nights. Keep a removable start layer and a dry finish layer available rather than relying only on the daytime average. Average daily highs are 18.7°C and overnight lows 9.4°C. Average precipitation totals about 61 mm over the whole month. Rain preparation is sensible, but the total does not give the chance or timing of rain during the race. These are historical regional averages, not a forecast or race-hour temperatures; the coast, hills and start line may differ.
Climate source ↗ · NASA POWER / MERRA-2 grid near Melbourne (-37.81°, 144.96°); not a weather station · October 2001–2020 (20 years)
Historical averages describe typical conditions, not the forecast or the temperature at the starting line.
What to wear
- Racing: consider a technical T-shirt with shorts or light tights; removable sleeves or a thin long-sleeve layer may suit a cooler forecast.
- Waiting at the start: bring a removable warm layer and, if rain is forecast, a rain shell or poncho. If the start-time forecast is cold, consider light gloves and a hat or headband that you can remove.
- After finishing: keep a dry top and an extra layer in your finish bag.
- These are editorial clothing suggestions. Check the forecast close to race day and adapt to your own comfort.
Check the forecast close to race day and adjust your clothing to the start time and your own comfort.
Guide sources checked on .
Checked on 4 Oct 2026 · Event source
Map pins locate the host city, not the start line or race course.