The dawn of a new Melbourne classic
Ask any Melbourne runner where their heart beats fastest and they’ll point to Beach Road. On 31 August 2025, that legendary ribbon of tarmac is reserved entirely for us—no cars, just footsteps—at the Brighton Beach Marathon. Four races, one shared finish line, and every stride backed by salt-tinged air and the city’s most photogenic coastline.
Below you’ll find everything—narrative, logistics, pricing, pace bands—organised by distance so you can skip straight to the race that matters most, or read the whole saga and let the romance pull you to the longest start line.
1. Marathon (42.2 km)
Sunrise, sea spray, and the hunt for a PB
- Start: 6:00 am sharp (wheelchairs 5:55 am)
- Course: Two laps of a perfectly flat, AIMS-certified loop between Green Point and Black Rock
- Road closure cut-off: 11:00 am (5 hours)
Imagine lining up while the bay is still steel-grey and the first pelicans skim the surface. The gun fires, and by the time you reach the coloured bathing boxes at Dendy Street a ribbon of pink has cracked the eastern sky. Lap one is discovery: checking splits, high-fiving early-rise spectators, listening to gulls echo off the sandstone cliffs at Sandringham. Lap two is commitment: each landmark now an ally in your countdown—Hampton Pier (26 km), the Clock Tower (36 km), Bay Road (39 km), then the green archway rising like a mirage in front of St Kilda’s distant skyline.
Aid & support every 2.5–3 km
Water, FIXX electrolyte, Maurten gels, first-aid and portable toilets. Pace groups from 2 h 45 m to 5 h keep you honest or haul you home.
“Fastest Melbourne course I’ve seen in 20 years,” says course measurer John Ries, AIMS official.
| Split targets | 2:45 | 3:00 | 3:15 | 3:30 | 3:45 | 4:00 | 4:15 | 4:30 | 5:00 |
|---|
Marathon price ladder
| Phase | Ends | Fee (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Super Early Bird | 15 May 2025 | 160 |
| Early Bird | 30 Jun 2025 | 180 |
| Standard | 22 Aug 2025 | 190 |
| Last Minute | 30 Aug 2025 | 200 |
Your marathon entry also unlocks the coveted official finisher’s tee—heavyweight technical fabric with a subtle outline of the Brighton foreshore printed inside the collar.
2. Runner’s World Half Marathon (21.1 km)
Where speed meets spectacle
- Start: 7:00 am (waves A–C + wheelchair)
- Course: One lap—south to Sandringham Clock Tower, north past Brighton Jetty, back to Green Point
- Priority cut-off: Sub-1:30 ♂ / sub-1:40 ♀
The half launches just as the marathoners disappear into their second lap. Sunlight glitters on the bay, and the city skyline smudges gold behind you. Runners surge along Beach Road’s centreline—no gutters, no roundabouts, just perfect camber. At 10 km the course kisses the beach at Hampton and turns for home. With a tail-breeze and crowds thickening, splits tumble. The final kilometre threads beneath Norfolk pines and a wall of noise from the event village.
Pace groups every 5 minutes from 1 h 30 m to 2 h 20 m—pacers wear lighthouse-yellow flags to match the bathing boxes.
Why pick the half?
- Build-up race for Melbourne Marathon in October
- AIMS-certified—Boston Qualifier for the marathoners of tomorrow
- Late-winter timing: perfect cool temps (historical average 9 °C → 15 °C)
3. 10 km – The Bayside Burner
Flat, fast and universally loved
- Start: 8:30 am (wheelchairs 8:25 am)
- Elevation: < 10 m gain total
- Age: 12 + (or run with an adult)
The 10 k is Brighton’s answer to the Great Ocean Road’s lighthouse finish—except here the lighthouse is the bathing boxes, the scenery flips by in half the distance, and spectators have coffee within arm’s reach. Competitive club runners go hunting sub-35; social crews string out in colourful packs, ticking kilometre boards painted aquamarine.
Two wave system
- Wave A: Projected time < 60 m (qualify for age-group podiums)
- Wave B: Projected time ≥ 61 m
Cut-off is a generous 2 h 30 m, but the magic lies in chasing the lead car as it glides along an empty Beach Road.
4. Kieser 5 km – Finish‐line fireworks
For families, first-timers and flying feet
- Start: 9:15 am (waves A & B)
- Turnaround: Past Bridge St, view straight across the bay to the You Yang mountains
- Colour code: Every km marker bright yellow
This out-and-back dash is pure celebration: parents guiding stroller wheels, junior athletes chasing their first sub-25, walkers soaking up the party vibe. The final 400 m funnels through a flag corridor; kids receive high-fives from marathon legends cooling down in recovery blankets.
Event-day timeline (quick-scan)
| From 5 am | Village, coffee, bag-drop, retail open |
|---|---|
| 5:55 am | Marathon wheelchairs depart |
| 6:00 am | Marathon Wave A gun |
| 7:00 am | Half Marathon main start |
| 8:30 am | 10 km main start |
| 9:15 am | Kieser 5 km main start |
| 11:00 am | Roads reopen (all races timed if on footpath) |
| 12:30 pm | Festival closes |
All-inclusive runner perks
On-course
- Hydration every 2.5–3 km (water + FIXX electrolyte)
- Nutrition – Maurten gels at 13 km, 25 km, 32 km (marathon)
- Medical & physio – roving bike medics, static tents at 6 km intervals
- KM markers colour-coded by race (Red 42 k, Blue 21 k, Aqua 10 k, Yellow 5 k)
Finish-line
- Bespoke spinnaker-shaped medal – design echoes the sails of nearby Royal Brighton Yacht Club
- Live results SMS + app tracking courtesy of Sole Motive timing
- Free post-race massage (first-come, first-served)
- Gourmet food-truck alley – espresso, acai bowls, wood-fired pizza, Bayside Brewing alcohol-free lager
Before the big day
- Digital training plans – 8, 12 and 16-week cycles created by Runner’s World
- Webinars with biomechanists from Kieser on strength work for endurance athletes
- Charity support pack – fund-raising toolkit + Peter Mac singlet for donations > $250
Fund-raising: every kilometre counts
Last year, runners in the Sandy Point legacy event raised $312,000 for community causes. In 2025 the Brighton Beach Marathon sets its sights higher with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre partnership. Create a fund-raising page during registration, share your training-log screenshots, and see your total tick upward with every long run. Prizes for top three fund-raisers include:
- Guaranteed Wave A 2026 entry + VIP parking
- Garmin Forerunner 265
- $500 Sole Motive retail voucher
Logistics at a glance
| What | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Postal bib cut-off | 8 Aug 23:59 AEST | Online |
| In-store pickup | 21 – 29 Aug (10 am – 5 pm) | Sole Motive HQ, Carlton |
| On-site pickup | 30 Aug 12 pm – 3 pm | Green Point event village |
| Gear check | Race morning 5 am – 12 pm | Secure marquee, token system |
| Public transport | Sandringham Line to Brighton Beach (+ 600 m walk) | Trains every 15 min pre-dawn |
| Parking | Limited street bays; cyclists lock bikes inside monitored corral | Arrive before 5:30 am |
Frequently barked questions
“What if it rains?”
You get wet… and probably run faster—Melbourne’s drizzle is PB fuel.
“Is the course really that flat?”
Total gain over a 21.1 km lap is < 15 m—most treadmills rise more.
“Can I wear headphones?”
Yes, but organisers recommend bone-conduction so you can hear marshals. Elite and prize-eligible runners must race headphone-free.
“Are strollers allowed?”
Only in the Kieser 5 km and they must start at the back of Wave B.
Six training runs to preview the course
- Brighton Bathing Boxes – Black Rock return (18 km) – replicate marathon turnaround
- Dendy St hill repeats (4 × 400 m) – tiny climb, perfect for strides
- Sandringham sunset tempo (10 km) – test evening sea-breeze resistance
- Elwood flats fartlek (14 km) – simulate final kilometres with city skyline view
- Brighton Pier pre-dawn easy (6 km) – practise start-time darkness
- Clock Tower long run (28–32 km) – crucial for marathoners, coffee reward at Hampton
Ready to write your chapter?
The Brighton Beach Marathon isn’t just another date on the calendar; it’s a fresh canvas at winter’s end—salt in the air, asphalt underfoot, possibility on every horizon line. PB hunters, fundraising heroes, first-time 5 k dreamers: the bay is calling.
Secure your wave before Super Early Bird closes on 15 May 2025.
Click REGISTER NOW, lace up, and meet us where the ocean meets the road.