Running & triathlon

Running in
Australia.

A calendar that runs upside down — marathons in winter, ultras in the shoulder seasons, and a summer most people race around rather than through. The largest parkrun scene outside Britain, a triathlon culture that produced most of the sport, and distances between start lines measured in flights.

1704 running races and 158 triathlons and multisport events, across 8 states and territories.

1862
Events
8
states and territories

What it is actually like to run there

Eleven years of daily records at Sydney, not a seasonal generalisation. "Warm mornings" counts the share of days starting at or above 24°C — the point where heat stops being a detail and starts setting your pace for you.

One anchor cannot speak for Australia

Darwin's hottest month averages 32.1°C by day and Canberra's coolest averages 10.6°C. Treating those as one climate would be a claim about neither, so here is a row for every state or territory.

Running conditions by state or territory
City State or territory Hottest month Coolest month Wettest month Warm mornings, peak
Sydney New South Wales Jan 26.4°C Jun 16.7°C Mar 15d Feb 1%
Melbourne Victoria Jan 26.4°C Jul 13.2°C Jul 12.5d Jan 0%
Brisbane Queensland Jan 29.4°C Jul 20.7°C Jan 15.8d Jan 3%
Perth Western Australia Feb 30.2°C Jul 17.3°C Jul 15.2d Jan 9%
Adelaide South Australia Jan 27.9°C Jul 14°C Aug 13.1d Feb 4%
Hobart Tasmania Jan 22.6°C Jul 11.9°C Nov 12.6d Jan 0%
Canberra Australian Capital Territory Jan 27.4°C Jul 10.6°C Nov 9.8d Jan 0%
Darwin Northern Territory Nov 32.1°C Jul 29.6°C Jan 26.6d Jan 100%

Month by month at Sydney

Monthly running conditions at Sydney
Month Avg high Avg low Rain days Warm mornings
January 26.4°C 19.4°C 12.9 0%
February 25.9°C 19.1°C 14.3 1%
March 24.8°C 18.1°C 15 0%
April 22.5°C 14.6°C 10.6 0%
May 19.5°C 11.3°C 8.2 0%
June 16.7°C 8.8°C 9.3 0%
July 16.8°C 8.1°C 7.1 0%
August 18°C 8.7°C 7 0%
September 20.6°C 10.7°C 7.4 0%
October 22.6°C 13.5°C 10.9 0%
November 23.7°C 15.5°C 11.1 0%
December 25.7°C 17.6°C 10.1 0%

Hottest: Jan

Averaging 26.4°C by day, 19.4°C overnight.

Easiest: Jun

The coolest month, averaging 16.7°C.

Wettest: Mar

Rain on about 15 days in an average month.

Original data The Australian Race Index Every researched guide for Australia in one dataset — the flattest and hilliest courses with a published elevation figure, real charity-place minimums, and the whole calendar month by month.

By state or territory

453 Victoria 420 running · 33 triathlon 418 New South Wales 369 running · 49 triathlon 293 Queensland 244 running · 49 triathlon 290 South Australia 284 running · 6 triathlon 272 Western Australia 257 running · 15 triathlon 76 Tasmania 75 running · 1 triathlon 46 Australian Capital Territory 41 running · 5 triathlon 14 Northern Territory 14 running

Coming up in Australia

Hounslow Classic 17k Allview Escape, Blackheath Hounslow Classic Marathon Allview Escape, Blackheath Night of the PBs 5K Track Event Eastgardens, NSW 2036 Tour de PIF Sydney 10K St Ives Tour de PIF Sydney 5K St Ives Tour de PIF Sydney Half Marathon St Ives

Triathlon in Australia

Garmin Noosa Triathlon Noosa Heads, Queensland IRONMAN Australia Port Macquarie, New South Wales IRONMAN Western Australia Busselton, Western Australia Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns Cairns and Palm Cove, Queensland IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong Geelong, Victoria IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast Mooloolaba, Queensland IRONMAN 70.3 Western Sydney Penrith, New South Wales IRONMAN 70.3 Port Macquarie Port Macquarie, New South Wales Nepean Triathlon Penrith, New South Wales Challenge Canberra 100 Canberra, Australian Capital Territory T100 Gold Coast Southport and Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland

Every sanctioned multisport race in Australia

141 triathlons, duathlons, aquathlons and aquabikes still to come, from the governing body's own calendar. These link straight to the organiser — the ones with a full Verus guide are listed above.

Date Race Sport Distance Where
12 Sept 2026 Swimrun Australia: Gold Coast Aquathlon SWIMRUN DISCOVERY [SOLO] / SWIMRUN DISCOVERY [SOLO] - YOUTH / SWIMRUN ENDURO [SOLO] / SWIMRUN ENDURO [TEAM] / SWIMRUN EX Queensland
13 Sept 2026 Adelaide Duathlon Series 2 Duathlon Enticer Duathlon / Kids Duathlon / Sprint Duathlon South Australia
13 Sept 2026 Gloucester Mountain Man Tri Challenge Adventure race Mountain Man Tri Challenge New South Wales
19 Sept 2026 Mackay Multisport Festival Triathlon Enticer Aquabike / Enticer Aquathlon / Enticer Duathlon / Enticer Triathlon / Mini Kids Triathlon / Sprint Aquabike / Sp Queensland
20 Sept 2026 Western Suburbs Triathlon Club Duathlon Series - Race 3 Triathlon Dash / Enticer / Sprint / WSTC Olympic Distance Victoria
20 Sept 2026 Women Only Adventure Race: Canberra, ACT Adventure race Marathon / Sprint Australian Capital Territory
25 Sept 2026 Mountain Designs GeoQuest Adventure Race Adventure race Full Course / Geo-Half New South Wales
26 Sept 2026 Stockton Sunrise Run Triathlon Aquabike / Aquathlon / Sprint Triathlon / Standard Triathlon New South Wales
27 Sept 2026 Hills Tri Series 2026/27: Race 1 Triathlon Aqua Bike: 750m Swim + 20K Bike + Dash to the finish line / Aqua Run: 750m Swim + 5K Run / Enticer: 250m + 10K + 2.5K / New South Wales
27 Sept 2026 Island Triathlon Festival Triathlon Aquathlon / Sprint Aquabike / Sprint Triathlon / Standard Aquabike / Standard Triathlon / Super Sprint Triathlon New South Wales
27 Sept 2026 Queensland Tri Series Round 1: Moreton Bay Triathlon Pho3nix Kids Triathlon / Rackley Swimming Enticer / Sprint / Standard Queensland
27 Sept 2026 She TRIS Triathlon Kids TRI (Ages 7-12) / The Dash (Ages 12+) / The Enduro (Ages 15+) Queensland
3 Oct 2026 Agnes Water Triathlon Triathlon Enticer Distance / Junior Aquathlon Under 14 / Junior Aquathlon Under 7 / Sprint Distance Queensland
3 Oct 2026 Freycinet Challenge Adventure race 1-day 2 person junior team / 1-day 2 person senior team / 1-day 4 person junior team / 1-day 4 person senior team / 1-da Tasmania
3 Oct 2026 Wild Women Adventure Race Adventure race Wild Women Adventure Race Queensland
4 Oct 2026 Sprint Series Adventure Race: Lysterfield, VIC Duathlon Classic Course / Classic - Run / Duathlon Course / Novice Course / Novice - Run Victoria
10 Oct 2026 Max Adventure Race Series: Blue Mountains Adventure race Classic Course / Novice Course New South Wales
10 Oct 2026 Max Adventure Race: Sydney Adventure race Classic Course / Kids Course / Novice Course New South Wales
10 Oct 2026 Swimrun Australia Sydney North Adventure race SWIMRUN ENDURO [SOLO] / SWIMRUN ENDURO [TEAM] / SWIMRUN EXPERIENCE [SOLO] / SWIMRUN EXPERIENCE [TEAM] New South Wales
10 Oct 2026 Swimrun Australia: Melbourne Aquathlon Swimrun Discovery / Swimrun Enduro Victoria
10 Oct 2026 Top Dog 24 Adventure Race Adventure race Full Course / Little Dog Australian Capital Territory
11 Oct 2026 Queensland Tri Series Round 2: Raby Bay Triathlon Club Distance / Pho3nix Kids Triathlon / Rackley Swimming Enticer / Super Sprint Queensland
17 Oct 2026 Roller Coaster Trail Run Adventure race 4 hours / 50hours / 6 hours Victoria
18 Oct 2026 EXSS Sprint Triathlon Triathlon Bolt Aquabike / Bolt Duathlon / Bolt Triathlon / Novice & Tin Lids Triathlon / Sprint Aquabike / Sprint Duathlon / Sprin Western Australia
18 Oct 2026 Triathlon Pink: Sydney Triathlon Kids 10-13 years / Kids 7-9 years / Long / Medium / Short / Ultra New South Wales
24 Oct 2026 Lake Awoonga Adventure Race - LAAR Adventure race Barramundi Bush Bash / Taipan Trail Queensland
24 Oct 2026 Pottsville Beach Triathlon Triathlon 1000m Community Swim / 500m Community Swim / Big Kids Triathlon (10-12yrs) / Discover Kids Aquathlon / Discover Kids Tri New South Wales
25 Oct 2026 Ballarat Triathlon Club Junior Triathlon Triathlon Junior 13-17 Years / Junior 9-12 Years Victoria
25 Oct 2026 Triathlon Pink Brisbane Triathlon Kids 10-13 year / Kids 7-9 years / Long / Medium / Short / Ultra Queensland
25 Oct 2026 Western Suburbs Triathlon Club Duathlon Series - Race 4 Triathlon Dash / Enticer / Sprint Victoria
28 Oct 2026 Noosa Run Swim Run Triathlon 14+ years / 8-13 years Queensland
31 Oct 2026 Blackwood Marathon Relay Triathlon Five Leg Relay / Triathlon Western Australia
31 Oct 2026 Hills Tri Series 2026/27 Race 2 Triathlon Aqua Bike / Aqua Run / Enticer / Junior 10-11 Triathlon / Junior 12+ Triathlon / Junior 7-9 Triathlon / Sprint Triathlon New South Wales
31 Oct 2026 Hills Tri Series: Race 7 Triathlon 7-9yo Distance / Aqua Run Sprint Distance / Enticer Distance New South Wales
31 Oct 2026 Noosa Superkidz Triathlon Triathlon 11-13 years / 7-10 years Queensland
31 Oct 2026 Perth Duathlon & RunningWorks Festival Duathlon 55k / 80k Western Australia
31 Oct 2026 Tingirana Noosa Special Triathlon Triathlon Noosa Special Tri Queensland
1 Nov 2026 Triathlon Huskisson Triathlon Aquabike (Std) / Sprint / Standard / Super Sprint / TriKidz Aquathon (10-11yrs) / TriKidz Aquathon (5-6yrs) / TriKidz Aq New South Wales
7 Nov 2026 Explore Adventure Race – Shoalhaven 2026 Adventure race Full Course / Half Course New South Wales
7 Nov 2026 Explore Sydney Northern Beaches Adventure Race Adventure race 15km / 30km / Full Course / Half Course New South Wales
7 Nov 2026 EXSS X-Tri Off Road Triathlon Triathlon Cross Duathlon Long / Cross Duathlon Short / Cross Triathlon Long / Cross Triathlon Short Western Australia
8 Nov 2026 Sri Chinmoy Triple-Triathlon Triathlon Triple Triathlon Australian Capital Territory
8 Nov 2026 Triathlon Pink: Perth Triathlon Kids 10-13 years / Kids 7-9 years / Long / Medium / Short / Ultra Western Australia
8 Nov 2026 Women Only Adventure Race Lysterfield Adventure race 2.5 km / MTB 10-12 km Victoria
13 Nov 2026 West Lakes Triathlon 1 Triathlon Enticer / Sprint Distance South Australia
14 Nov 2026 Freo Ocean Classic Run Swim Run Adventure race 1km Swim Race / 2km Swim Race / Aquathlon Full Race / Aquathlon Half Race Western Australia
14 Nov 2026 Total Recon 24 Hour Adventure Race Adventure race 145km (Full) / 40km sprint / 75km (Short) South Australia
14 Nov 2026 Total Recon Adventure Race Happy Valley Adventure race 24km / Sprint South Australia
15 Nov 2026 Bunbury Women's Triathlon Triathlon Enticer Distance / Enticer Junior / Sprint Distance Western Australia
15 Nov 2026 Queensland Tri Series Round 3: Robina Triathlon Pho3nix Kids Triathlon / Rackley Swimming Enticer / Sprint / Standard Distance - State Champs / WQE Queensland
15 Nov 2026 Sprint Series Adventure Race: Manly Dam, NSW Adventure race Classic / Novice New South Wales
15 Nov 2026 WSTC Triathlon Series Race 1 Triathlon Dash / Enticer / Enticer Aquabike / Enticer Aquathon / Sprint / Sprint Aquabike / Sprint Aquathon Victoria
21 Nov 2026 Hamilton Island Junior Triathlon Triathlon Junior Long / Junior Medium / Junior Short / Junior Triathlon / Splash n Dash Queensland
21 Nov 2026 Hamilton Island Triathlon Triathlon Olympic Triathlon Queensland
21 Nov 2026 Hervey Bay 50 Triathlon Triathlon Aqua50 / HitFM HB50 Queensland
21 Nov 2026 Redline Games Triathlon Aquabike / Classic Triathlon / Nepean Triathlon / Sprint Triathlon / Super Sprint Triathlon New South Wales
21 Nov 2026 Run Western Sydney Triathlon Olympic Distance Triathlon / Sprint Triathlon New South Wales
21 Nov 2026 Shire Run Carnival & Aquathon Aquathlon SHIRE Aquathlon New South Wales
22 Nov 2026 Hervey Bay 100 Triathlon Triathlon Aqua100 / Aqua50 / Beach House Hotel HB100 / Hervey Bay 150 / HitFM HB50 Queensland
22 Nov 2026 King Valley Challenge Adventure race Multisport Victoria
28 Nov 2026 Triathlon Port Stephens Festival Triathlon Sprint Triathlon / Standard Aquabike / Super Sprint Triathlon New South Wales
29 Nov 2026 Kids TRI-Triathlon Triathlon Kids Aquathlon: 10-12 Years / Kids Aquathlon: 5-6 Years / Kids Aquathlon: 7-9 Years / Kids Triathlon: 10-12 Years / Kids Queensland
29 Nov 2026 Torquay Triathlon - November Triathlon Kids Triathlon / Super Sprint Triathlon / Team Relay Entry Victoria
29 Nov 2026 Yamba Triathlon Triathlon Aquathlon / Kids Triathlon / Ocean Swim / Sprint Triathlon / Tempta Triathlon New South Wales
4 Dec 2026 The Urban Rogue Adventure race 3 hour Queensland
5 Dec 2026 Buckley's 24 Adventure Race Adventure race 24hr Full Course / 24hr Half Course Victoria
5 Dec 2026 IRONKIDS Busselton Triathlon Kids Swim/Run / Kids Triathlon Western Australia
6 Dec 2026 2XU Triathlon Series Race 1 Triathlon Fun Tri / Sprint / Tri Kids Victoria
6 Dec 2026 Balmoral Triathlon Club's Women’s Triathlon Triathlon 200m Swim + 9K Bike + 2K Run New South Wales
6 Dec 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia Triathlon IRONMAN / IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia
6 Dec 2026 Queensland Tri Series Round 4: Raby Bay Triathlon Club Distance / Pho3nix Kids Triathlon / Rackley Swimming Enticer / Super Sprint Queensland
6 Dec 2026 The Hallora Marathon Festival Adventure race 12km ADULT RIDE EVENT - Saturday Dec 5th / 18km ADULT RIDE EVENT - Saturday Dec 5th / 1km KIDS RIDE EVENT - Saturday Dec Victoria
12 Dec 2026 Callala Triathlon Festival Triathlon TriKidz New South Wales
13 Dec 2026 Moana Triathlon Triathlon Enticer / Mini / Sprint South Australia
13 Dec 2026 Portarlington Triathlon Triathlon Kids - 100m Swim - 3km Bike - 1km Run / Sprint - 500m Swim - 18km Bike - 5km Run / Super Sprint - 400m Swim - 15km Bike Victoria
20 Dec 2026 Hills Tri Series Race 3 Triathlon Aqua Bike / Aqua Run / Enticer / Half Ironman / IRONMAN 70.3 / IRONMAN / Full Ironman / Juniors: 10-11 yrs / Juniors: 12 New South Wales
20 Dec 2026 WSTC Triathlon Series: Race 2 Triathlon Dash / Enticer / Enticer Aquabike / Enticer Aquathon / Sprint / Sprint Aquabike / Sprint Aquathon Victoria
10 Jan 2027 2XU Triathlon Series Race 2 Triathlon Aqua Bike / Fun Tri / Olympic / Sprint / Tri Kids Victoria
10 Jan 2027 Queensland Tri Series Round 5: Robina Triathlon Pho3nix Kids Triathlon / Rackley Swimming Enticer / Sprint - State Champs / WQE / Standard Queensland
17 Jan 2027 Cape Paterson Aquathon Aquathlon 400M SURF SWIM + 4.4KM RUN / Relay Teams Victoria
17 Jan 2027 Triathlon Pink Melbourne Triathlon Kids 10-13 years / Kids 7-9 years / Long / Medium / Short / Ultra Victoria
17 Jan 2027 WSTC Triathlon Series: Race 3 Triathlon Dash / Enticer / Enticer Aquabike / Enticer Aquathon / Sprint / Sprint Aquabike / Sprint Aquathon Victoria
26 Jan 2027 MMJ Aquathon - January Aquathlon Long Aqua / Mini Aqua / Short Aqua New South Wales
26 Jan 2027 Moranbah Australia Day Triathlon Triathlon ENTICER (ages 12+): TRIATHLON / LONG COURSE (ages 16+): AQUABIKE / LONG COURSE (ages 16+): AQUATHON / LONG COURSE (ages Queensland
31 Jan 2027 The Bike Place Shoalwater Classic Triathlon Triathlon AquaBike / Olympic / Sprint Western Australia
6 Feb 2027 Lake Mac Triathlon Festival Triathlon 1km / 2km / Aquathlon / Junior Triathlon / Sprint Triathlon / Standard Distance Aquabike / Standard Distance Triathlon / New South Wales
6 Feb 2027 San Remo Channel Challenge Aquathlon 550m Swim + 2K Run Victoria
6 Feb 2027 Triathlon Tomakin Triathlon Aquabike / Sprint / Standard / Super Sprint New South Wales
7 Feb 2027 2XU Triathlon Series: Race 3 Triathlon Aqua Bike / Fun Tri / Olympic Triathlon / Sprint Triathlon / Tri Kids Victoria
7 Feb 2027 BTC Triathlon Series: Race 3 Triathlon 400m Swim + 15K Bike + 4K Run New South Wales
13 Feb 2027 Max Adventure Race Series: Lake Macquarie Adventure race Classic / Kids / Novice New South Wales
14 Feb 2027 Queensland Tri Series Round: Raby Bay Triathlon Club / Pho3nix Kids Triathlon / Rackley Swimming Enticer / Super Sprint Queensland
14 Feb 2027 West Lakes Triathlon 2 Triathlon Enticer / Sprint South Australia
20 Feb 2027 Triathlon NSW Club Championships Triathlon Sprint / Sprint Aquabike / Standard / Standard Aquabike / Super Sprint / TriKidz New South Wales
21 Feb 2027 Kingscliff Triathlon March Triathlon Aquabike / Olympic Triathlon / Sprint Triathlon / Tempta New South Wales
21 Feb 2027 Ramsay Health Care Triathlon Pink: Gold Coast Triathlon Kids 10-13 years / Kids 7-9 years / Long / Medium / Short / Ultra Queensland
21 Feb 2027 Sprint Series Adventure Race Batemans Bay Adventure race Classic / Novice New South Wales
21 Feb 2027 WSTC Girls Secondary School (GSS) Triathlon Event Triathlon Girls Secondary School Triathlon 2026 Victoria
27 Feb 2027 Cowes Classic Aquathon Aquathlon 500M SWIM + 4KM RUN / Relay Teams Victoria
27 Feb 2027 Hell of the West Multisport Triathlon Enticer 12 yrs+ Triathlon / Hell of the West Triathlon / Kids 10-11 yrs Triathlon / Kids 6-9 yrs Triathlon Queensland
27 Feb 2027 Hell of the West Weekend Triathlon Aquabike / Firestarter Triathlon / Hell Kids Triathlon (10-11 Years) / Hell Kids Triathlon (6-9 Years) / Hell of the Wes Queensland
27 Feb 2027 Little Penguin Dash Aquathon Aquathlon 200m swim + 800m run / 400m swim + 1.2km run Victoria
28 Feb 2027 2XU Triathlon Series: Race 4 Triathlon Fun Tri / Sprint / Tri Kids Victoria
28 Feb 2027 WSTC Triathlon Series: Race 4 Triathlon Dash / Enticer / Enticer Aquabike / Enticer Aquathon / Sprint / Sprint Aquabike / Sprint Aquathon / WSTC Olympic Distanc Victoria
3 Mar 2027 Husky Ultra Triathlon Husky Ultra - Individual / Sprint Triathlon / Ultimate Triathlon New South Wales
5 Mar 2027 Lismore Samson Fitness Challenge Adventure race Samson Kids / Samson Solo / Samson Teen Sprint / Team Samson / Team Samson Teen and Junior New South Wales
6 Mar 2027 Huskisson Triathlon Festival Triathlon 500m / Aquabike / Classic / Sprint / Super Sprint / Ultimate New South Wales
6 Mar 2027 Max Adventure Race Series: Brisbane Adventure race Classic Course / Kids Course / Novice Course Queensland
6 Mar 2027 Terra Nova 24 Adventure Race Adventure race Full – 2 Person / Half – 2 Person New South Wales
13 Mar 2027 Kangaroobie Klassic Triathlon Gellibrand Eel Junior Triathlon / Kangaroobie Klassic Adventure Race Victoria
13 Mar 2027 Mooloolaba Sprint Tri Triathlon Sprint Triathlon Queensland
14 Mar 2027 Balmoral Triathlon Club's Junior's Triathlon Triathlon 11-13 yrs / 7-10 yrs New South Wales
14 Mar 2027 Hexman Triathlon Triathlon Enticer Distance / Hexman Distance / Kids Race (Ages 10 - 11) / Kids Race (Ages 7 - 9) Victoria
14 Mar 2027 Mooloolaba Triathlon Triathlon Aquabike / Sprint Triathlon / Standard Distance Individual Queensland
14 Mar 2027 Triathlon Pink Canberra Triathlon Kids 10-13 years / Kids 7-9 years / Long / Medium / Short / Ultra Australian Capital Territory
20 Mar 2027 Gold Coast T100 Triathlon Triathlon 100km Triathlon / Olympic Triathlon Queensland
20 Mar 2027 IRONKIDS Geelong Triathlon Aquabike / IRONKIDS Aquathon / IRONMAN 70.3 Victoria
21 Mar 2027 WSTC Triathlon Series: Race 5 Triathlon Dash / Enticer / Enticer Aquabike / Enticer Aquathon / Sprint / Sprint Aquabike / Sprint Aquathon Victoria
3 Apr 2027 Guzman y Gomez Coffs Harbour Triathlon Festival Triathlon Sprint Aquabike / Sprint Triathlon / Standard Triathlon New South Wales
3 Apr 2027 GYG Coffs Harbour Triathlon Festival Triathlon Sprint Triathlon / Standard Aquabike / Standard Triathlon / Super Sprint Triathlon / TriKidz 10-11 Years / TriKidz 5-6 Y New South Wales
3 Apr 2027 Legend Expedition Adventure Race Adventure race Full Course / Half Course Western Australia
3 Apr 2027 XTERRA Dunsborough Triathlon Full Distance Triathlon / Sprint Distance Triathlon / Super Sprint Triathlon Western Australia
4 Apr 2027 XTERRA Trail Runs Triathlon Full Distance Triathlon / Sprint Distance Triathlon / Super Sprint Triathlon / Youth A & Kids Triathlon Western Australia
10 Apr 2027 Swimrun Australia: Sydney East Aquathlon 1.1km / 3 day / 400m / 5km / 600m / 7mi New South Wales
11 Apr 2027 2XU Triathlon Series: Race 5 Triathlon Aqua Bike / Fun Tri / Olympic Distance / Sprint Triathlon / Tri Kids Victoria
11 Apr 2027 Gold Coast 10 & 5 Triathlon Pho3nix Kids Bike / Run / Pho3nix Kids Swim / Run / Pho3nix Kids Triathlon Queensland
11 Apr 2027 Pho3nix Gold Coast Triathlon Triathlon Enticer Triathlon / Pho3nix Kids Bike / Run / Pho3nix Kids Swim / Run / Pho3nix Kids Triathlon / Sprint Triathlon Queensland
18 Apr 2027 Triathlon Wollongong Festival Triathlon Aquabike / Sprint / Standard / Super Sprint / Try-A-Tri New South Wales
1 May 2027 The Rogue Raid Adventure Race 2027 Adventure race Classic Short / Epic Queensland
2 May 2027 Bargara Sprint Triathlon Triathlon Aqua Bike / GIAT / Hatchlings / Milbis / Sprint Triathlon / Turtles Queensland
8 May 2027 Kiama Triathlon Triathlon Sprint Triathlon New South Wales
8 May 2027 Ultraman Australia Adventure race Ultraman Queensland
8 May 2027 ZACH MACH Adventure Challenge Adventure race 100km / 30km / 60km Queensland
15 May 2027 Straddie Salute Triathlon Festival Triathlon 1000m Ocean Swim / 500m Ocean Swim / StraddieKidz Aquathlon / StraddieKidz Duathlon / StraddieKidz Triathlon / Straddie Queensland
16 May 2027 Moreton Bay Multisport Triathlon Classic Aquabike / Classic Triathlon / Club Aquabike / Club Triathlon / Enticer Triathlon / Pho3nix Kids Triathlon Queensland
16 May 2027 Queensland Tri Series Round 7: Moreton Bay Triathlon Classic Triathlon / Pho3nix Kids Triathlon / Rackley Swimming Enticer / Sprint Triathlon Queensland
23 May 2027 Women Only Adventure Race: Gold Coast, QLD Adventure race Classic course Queensland
12 Jun 2027 IRONKIDS Cairns Triathlon IRONKIDS 10-13 years / IRONKIDS 7-9 years Queensland
13 Jun 2027 IRONMAN 70.3 Cairns Triathlon Aquabike / IRONMAN 70.3 / Relay Queensland
24 Jul 2027 Max Adventure Race Series: Sunshine Coast Adventure race Classic Course / Novice Course Queensland
26 Oct 2027 Alpine Quest Adventure Race Triathlon Ironman New South Wales

A further 5 ran earlier this season and will return — their next dates haven't been published yet.

Running here as a visitor

The hardest part of training somewhere new isn't the route — it's not knowing anyone. This is who is in Australia over the next three months: runners who live here, and runners passing through. Australia is big enough that the county pages are the more useful place to look — "somewhere in Australia next week" doesn't help anyone arrange a run.

Checking who's in Australia…

Running in Australia: the long reads

The things a race listing can't tell you — what the conditions actually cost you, where people really run, what to carry, and what running is like in every state or territory on the map. 22 guides, 105 minutes of reading.

The conditions

Eleven years of dawn records for all eight capitals, and the reason a Perth summer and a Brisbane summer are different sports even when the thermometer says otherwise.

Running in Australia: What the Heat Actually Does, City by City Australian heat is a dew point problem, not a temperature problem. At 6am in January, Perth averages 19.7°C and Brisbane 21.6°C — nearly the same reading — but their dew points are 12.6° and 19.9°, which puts Perth in a 1-2% pace penalty and Brisbane in 2-3%. Darwin at the same hour sits at 26.9°C and a 24.4° dew point: a 4.5-6% penalty before sunrise. 7 min read

Racing here

A calendar that peaks in winter, a ballot with 123,000 applicants, and everything that changes when you fly twenty hours to a start line.

The Australian Racing Calendar: How the Year Is Actually Shaped The Australian racing year peaks in the southern winter. The big road marathons cluster between April and October — Canberra in April, Gold Coast in July, Sydney in August, Melbourne in October — because that is when the weather allows fast running. Summer, December to February, is the off-season for road racing and the season for trail and mountain events in the south. 5 min read How to Enter Australian Races: Ballots, Sell-Outs and Entry Platforms Australia has no single national entry system. Sydney runs a heavily oversubscribed free ballot with charity and travel-package alternatives; Gold Coast opens entries the preceding December and sells out on a first-come basis; Melbourne uses a ballot plus a time-qualifying route. Smaller races enter directly through the organiser, often right up to race morning. 5 min read Racing in Australia from Overseas: Seasons, Flights and What Changes The season is the first thing to get right: Australia races in its winter, which is the northern summer, so a European or American runner travels in June to August for the best conditions. Allow at least five days on the ground before racing — one per hour of time difference is the common rule, and Sydney is nine or ten hours from London. 5 min read Running Safety in Australia: Heat, Sun, Snakes and Magpies The genuine risks of running in Australia are, in order: heat and dehydration, ultraviolet exposure, and running out of water in remote terrain. Snakes and spiders make the headlines and cause almost no incidents involving runners. Magpie swooping season, roughly August to October, is the one distinctively Australian nuisance and is best handled by changing your route. 6 min read parkrun in Australia: 549 Events, and Why the Start Time Moves Australia has 549 parkrun events: 544 weekly 5K parkruns and 5 junior parkruns. Start times run from 7:00am to 9:00am and follow the state only roughly — Queensland and the Northern Territory are 7:00am throughout, Tasmania 9:00am, most of the rest 8:00am, but 19 New South Wales events and 7 Western Australian ones start at 7:00. Queensland has the most, with 139. 5 min read

Where to run

Harbour, bay, river and escarpment — the four big cities, the ranges that carry the whole trail calendar, and what each one is actually good for.

Running in Sydney: The Harbour, the Coast and the Bays Sydney's running is built around water. The Bondi to Coogee coastal path is about 6km one way on cliff-top boardwalk and stairs; the Bay Run at Iron Cove is a flat 7km loop; Centennial Park's Grand Drive is a 3.8km circuit and the city's default speed session. All three are busiest between 6am and 8am, which is also when the city is coolest. 5 min read Running in Melbourne: The Tan, Beach Road and the Yarra Melbourne is the flattest and most temperate of the big Australian cities, and the easiest to run in. The Tan Track around the Royal Botanic Gardens is 3.827km and the city's default loop; the Capital City Trail runs about 29km around the inner suburbs; Beach Road runs flat along Port Phillip Bay for tens of kilometres. It never records a morning above 24°C. 5 min read Running in Brisbane: The River Loop, Mt Coot-tha and a Subtropical Year Brisbane's running centres on the river: the Bicentennial Bikeway and the New Farm Riverwalk form a continuous traffic-free path through the city, and the standard loop crossing at Goodwill and Story Bridges runs roughly 5-10km depending on the bridges you choose. The city's real advantage is winter — a July dawn averages 10.6°C at an 8.1° dew point, which is the best racing weather in Australia. 4 min read Running in Perth: The Swan River, Kings Park and a Dry Heat Perth's running is organised around the Swan River, where a series of bridge-to-bridge loops give 5km to 20km on continuous traffic-free path. Kings Park sits above the city with bushland trails and the Jacob's Ladder stair climb. Perth is hotter than Sydney by day but far drier — its January dawn dew point is 12.6° against Sydney's 18°. 5 min read Trail Running in Australia: The Ranges, the Coast and the Long Ones Australian trail running is concentrated in a handful of ranges rather than spread evenly: the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, the Victorian high country and Dandenongs, the Queensland hinterland, the Perth Hills and the Bibbulmun Track, and Tasmania. Ultra-Trail Australia at Katoomba is the largest event, a UTMB World Series Major with distances from 11km to 161km. 6 min read

Triathlon and open water

The country that produced most of modern triathlon, an ocean-swim calendar that runs all summer, and water usually too warm for a wetsuit.

Triathlon in Australia: Where the Sport Grew Up Australia has one of the deepest triathlon cultures in the world. The Noosa Triathlon in November is among the largest Olympic-distance races anywhere; Ironman holds full-distance races at Cairns in June, Port Macquarie in May and Busselton in December, with 70.3 events across most states. The season runs through the southern summer, October to March, because the swim decides it. 5 min read Open Water Swimming in Australia: Ocean, Surf and the Big Crossings Australian open water swimming is overwhelmingly ocean swimming, with a large summer series calendar of 1km to 5km beach races. The two signature events are the Rottnest Channel Swim, a 19.7km crossing from Cottesloe in February, and the Sydney and Queensland ocean swim series. Ocean pools — tidal rock pools along the coast — are the standard training venue. 4 min read

State by state

Every state and territory, and what running there is genuinely like — the terrain, the climate, the calendar and the races worth travelling for.

Running in Australia State by State: What Each One Actually Offers Australia is eight running countries wearing one flag. Victoria has the mildest climate and deepest calendar; Queensland has the fastest racing weather and the most parkruns; New South Wales has the widest variety and the only World Marathon Major; Tasmania is the only state cool enough to race in January; and the Northern Territory is runnable for four months a year. 4 min read Running in New South Wales: Harbour, Escarpment and the Snowy Mountains New South Wales carries the widest range of running in Australia: a World Marathon Major in Sydney, the largest fun run on earth in City2Surf, a UTMB World Series Major in the Blue Mountains, and the highest ground in the country in the Snowy Mountains. Sydney sits at 8.9°C on a July dawn and 20.5°C on a January one, so the season runs from about April to October. 5 min read Running in Victoria: The Flattest City and the Best Trail Calendar Victoria has the mildest climate and the deepest calendar of any Australian state. Melbourne has never recorded a morning above 24°C in eleven years of records, and its trail scene runs from the Dandenongs to the Victorian Alps. The Nike Melbourne Marathon in October and the Brighton Beach Marathon in August are the two big road races. 4 min read Running in Queensland: Winter Is the Season, and It Is the Best in Australia Queensland has the most parkruns of any Australian state and the fastest marathon in the country. Its July dawn in Brisbane averages 10.6°C at an 8.1° dew point, which carries no heat penalty at all — the reason the Gold Coast Marathon is held in the first week of July and produces a personal best for 60% of its field. 4 min read Running in Western Australia: Dry Heat, the Bibbulmun and a Scene of Its Own Western Australia runs on its own calendar, four hours' flying from the eastern states. Perth is hotter by day than Sydney but far drier — its January dawn dew point is 12.6° against Sydney's 18° — which makes summer running more manageable than the temperature suggests. The Bibbulmun Track runs 1,000km from the Perth Hills to Albany. 4 min read Running in South Australia: Adelaide, the Hills and the Wine Country South Australia has a dry Mediterranean climate and a running scene built on clubs rather than mass-participation events. Adelaide sits between the sea and the Mount Lofty Ranges, so a hill is never more than twenty minutes away. The Adelaide Marathon Festival in May and the Barossa Marathon Festival in August are the two anchors. 4 min read Running in Tasmania: The One State That Races in Summer Tasmania is the only Australian state cool enough to hold a marathon in January — the Cadbury Marathon runs on 3 January, and Hobart’s January dawn averages 14.5°C. It is also the most genuinely mountainous, with kunanyi/Mount Wellington rising 1,271m directly above the city and alpine terrain across the centre of the island. 4 min read Running in the ACT: Canberra, the Lake and the Coldest Mornings in Australia Canberra has the coldest running mornings of any Australian capital — a July dawn averaging 2.6°C — and the oldest city marathon in the country. The 40km Lake Burley Griffin path network, the Centenary Trail and a ring of hills inside the city make it an unusually complete place to train. 4 min read Running in the Northern Territory: The Dry Season Is the Only Season The Northern Territory has two seasons and only one of them is runnable. In January, 100% of Darwin mornings in an eleven-year record started above 24°C, with a 6am dew point of 24.4°. In July it is 21.5°C at a 14.6° dew point — a 1-2% penalty rather than 4.5-6%. The whole calendar, including the Australian Outback Marathon at Uluru, sits inside the Dry. 5 min read

Common questions

How many races are there in Australia?

Verus currently lists 1704 running races and 158 triathlon and multisport events in Australia, across 8 states and territories.

What is the weather like for running in Australia?

It depends entirely on where. Across 8 cities, one per state or territory, the hottest month anywhere is Nov in Darwin at 32.1°C, and the coolest is Jul in Canberra at 10.6°C. In the hottest of them, more than half of mornings in the peak month start at or above 24°C, so an early start does not solve it.

Can I find people to run with in Australia?

Yes — Verus athletes list the town they are from, so this page shows who is already here. If you are travelling, adding your own location means runners here can find you too.

Add yourself to Australia All races