Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Running · Ultra Marathons
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km 2026
- Race day
- Saturday, 19 September 2026
- Location
- Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, Australia
- Distance
- 59.65 mi / 96.0 km
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km: 19 September 2026, 59.65 miles, from Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, NSW. Entry, route, a pace chart and the race-day forecast.
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Race Timeline
9 days to go
Volume comes down hard across these final three-plus weeks. At ultra distance the taper is not about sharpening — it is about arriving with your legs, your feet and your gut fully recovered from the biggest training block of the year.
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km 2026: quick answers
When is Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km 2026?
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km 2026 takes place on Saturday, 19 September 2026, starting at 7:30am.
What time does Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km start?
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km starts at 7:30am from Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, NSW.
Where does Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km start?
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km starts at Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, NSW. The organiser hasn't published a finish location.
How many miles is Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km?
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km is 59.65 miles (96km).
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Saturday, 19 September 2026
- Distance
- 59.65 miles / 96.0km
- Location
- Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, Australia
- Start Point
- Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, NSW
- Start time
- 7:30am
- Surface
- Trail
Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: finish point, cut-off time, age requirement, tracking app. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.
Direct Entry Summary
Not published for this event — check the official race website.
Ballot Policy
No ballot — entry is direct through Kokoda Youth Foundation.
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Race Day Weather
Fetching today's forecast for race day…
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Route Map & Elevation Profile
Starting at Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, NSW. The organiser hasn't published a finish location. Total elevation gain is not published for this event, and Verus does not estimate one.
Is Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km flat?
No official elevation figure is published for this course, so Verus doesn't state one. The organiser describes the going as: trail.
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Course Profile
Elevation change not published for this event.
Tap a point on the course for details.
Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, NSW
Start line.
Where Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km starts and finishes
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km starts at Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, NSW. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on.
Full Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Route Breakdown
The Kokoda Challenge Sydney takes runners through the stunning landscapes of Royal National Park and Heathcote National Park. With options of 18km, 48km, and 96km, the course offers a mix of trails and natural beauty. Runners will navigate through forests, hills, and rivers, experiencing the spirit of the Kokoda Track. The event is a tribute to Australian soldiers and a test of endurance, mateship, and courage.
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Pace Calculator & Splits
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Pace Calculator
Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.
Average pace / mile
4:01
Average pace / km
2:30
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Pace Chart
Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.
| Target | Pace /mi | Pace /km | 5K | 10K | Half Marathon | 30K | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 3:01 | 1:53 | 9:23 | 18:45 | 39:34 | 56:15 | 3:00:00 |
| 3:15 | 3:16 | 2:02 | 10:09 | 20:19 | 42:51 | 1:00:56 | 3:15:00 |
| 3:30 | 3:31 | 2:11 | 10:56 | 21:53 | 46:09 | 1:05:38 | 3:30:00 |
| 3:45 | 3:46 | 2:21 | 11:43 | 23:26 | 49:27 | 1:10:19 | 3:45:00 |
| 4:00 | 4:01 | 2:30 | 12:30 | 25:00 | 52:45 | 1:15:00 | 4:00:00 |
| 4:15 | 4:16 | 2:39 | 13:17 | 26:34 | 56:03 | 1:19:41 | 4:15:00 |
| 4:30 | 4:32 | 2:49 | 14:04 | 28:08 | 59:20 | 1:24:23 | 4:30:00 |
| 4:45 | 4:47 | 2:58 | 14:51 | 29:41 | 1:02:38 | 1:29:04 | 4:45:00 |
| 5:00 | 5:02 | 3:08 | 15:38 | 31:15 | 1:05:56 | 1:33:45 | 5:00:00 |
| 5:30 | 5:32 | 3:26 | 17:11 | 34:23 | 1:12:31 | 1:43:08 | 5:30:00 |
| 6:00 | 6:02 | 3:45 | 18:45 | 37:30 | 1:19:07 | 1:52:30 | 6:00:00 |
| 6:30 | 6:32 | 4:04 | 20:19 | 40:38 | 1:25:43 | 2:01:53 | 6:30:00 |
| 7:00 | 7:02 | 4:23 | 21:53 | 43:45 | 1:32:18 | 2:11:15 | 7:00:00 |
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Finish Time Estimator
Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km finish time.
Your 5K time
Estimated Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km finish
9:33:06
An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.
Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.
Got your target time? Save it to your profile.
Tag Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.
Start Your Verus JourneyKokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Race Day Checklist
Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.
- Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
- Weather-appropriate kit, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start
- A plan for reaching Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, NSW
- A meeting point agreed with family and friends for after the race
Training Strategy for Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km
20-24 weeks is the realistic window for a first 59.65-mile ultra, assuming you already have a marathon's worth of base behind you. The block that matters is back-to-back long weekends — a long run on Saturday followed by a second, slower one on Sunday — which builds time on feet and teaches you to run on tired legs without the recovery cost of one enormous day. Practise your race-day nutrition on every one of them; at this distance the stomach fails before the legs do.
This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.
Drop volume hard across the final three to four weeks — further out and steeper than a marathon taper, because a 30-mile training day costs weeks of recovery, not days. Keep some easy running and a little terrain-specific work in, but the goal is to reach Rex Jackson Oval, Helensburgh, NSW with fresh feet and a rested gut rather than one more long run in the bank.
Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.
Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.
59.65-Mile Ultra Nutrition & Fueling Plan
A deliberate increase in carbohydrate over the two to three days before the race is the well-established approach at marathon distance.
Eat a carbohydrate-focused breakfast two to three hours before the start, and stick to something you've already tested in training rather than trying anything new.
Most runners take on carbohydrate every 30 to 45 minutes from about an hour in, alongside fluid at the on-course stations.
A mix of carbohydrate and protein in the hour or so after finishing supports recovery.
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Charity Places 2026
No formal charity-place scheme published — runners commonly fundraise for a charity of their own choosing.
Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.
Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!
Running Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km for charity?
Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.
Add Your Fundraiser to VerusTravel & Logistics
No road closures — the Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km is run off-road (Trail), so local traffic is unaffected.
Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know for race weekend.
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Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Kokoda Challenge: Sydney 96km site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.