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Gold Coast Airport Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Gold Coast Airport Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.0 
Organization 4.3 
Spectators 3.7
Number of comments: 29 [displaying comments 1 to 11]
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A. K. from Australia
(7/7/2024)
"The crowd support is fantastic!" (about: 2024)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 For the average runner this course is harder than you think. The heat came quickly (up to about 20 degrees Celsius) after the sunrise, and the last 5K's into a headwind was pretty savage. Although some of the scenery was spectacular---running alongside the beaches, some parts of the course were really narrow and that meant there was a fair bit of dodging other runners until the race thinned out in the second half. There were also really long stretches---several K's---of running in the same direction, which became quite monotonous (and tough when the winds sprang up). On the flipside, the crowds were energetic and fun. Overall, a solid marathon experience, but, if you are just a general runner, don't be fooled by talk of 'easy and fast'. | |
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M. K. from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
(4/3/2018)
"Awesome" (about: 2017)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 It was my 1st run out of Malaysia and I find it so much different from my local races in term of public support. The course was relatively flat and good if one intend to do a PB. | |
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Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA
(9/9/2017)
"Good Times Down Under" (about: 2017)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:18:45. The Gold Coast Airport Marathon was my forty-fifth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon. Temperature at the start line was 11C (52F). Starting in Southport, on one of the flattest courses we will ever see, we headed south on our first out and back. Our course, travelling through the communities of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach, Miami, and Burleigh Heads, was peppered with ocean views (when not blocked by the numerous high-rise condominiums) to our turnaround at 15.5 kilometers. Returning north on almost the exact same course heading out, we were afforded the same vistas as we were beginning to feel the effects of the sunny sky and warming temperature. Passing the start line just past kilometer 31, we continued heading north on our second out and back. We turned around at Runaway Bay (approximately kilometer 36.6) for our return to the finish line, not too far from where we started in Southport. Finish line temperature was approximately 21C (70F) with a cool breeze coming in from the southwest. ORGANIZATION: Well executed. Packet pickup at the Gold Convention and Exhibition Centre was efficient. Somewhat lengthy but eventful lunch featuring Australia's greatest was also held there. Beware of the chicken and salmon, however. SPECTATORS: Enthusiastic supporters for a marathon of this size. Three bands of note: a brass quintet playing at Surfers Paradise and a pair of steel drum ensembles. CONCLUSION: With over 5000 finishers, being the second largest marathon Down Under, and with a cutoff time of 6 hours, 40 minutes, this is the best Australian option for tortoises who wish to run the seven continents. Good on ya, mates! | |
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M. L. from New Mexico
(7/7/2017)
"A Marathon Worthy of IAAF Gold Label" (about: 2017)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a review from a runner in the priority category (<2h45m marathon or <1h17m half) It was a treat to be able to place our own nutrition on the race course. Priority runners also get to warm up on a road next to the start. One thing to note is the expo location did not have water fountains so you will need to prepare personal bottles before going. The weather is consistent throughout the years. This year it was 52F start and about 65F around 10am with a 7mph wind from the south. There are plenty of high caliber runners that I didn't feel isolated for most of the race. The course is flat but undulates. There are several long speed bumps. Endura sports drink and nutrition tables are at every 5k and water stations are at every 2.5k. Crowds don't seem as enthusiastic compared to other major marathons. Volunteers are sufficient but you will have to pick up cups from the table as they don't hand them out. Overall, the organization is top notch and I hope to return to this race someday. | |
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J. B. from Houston, Texas
(7/12/2015)
"Fast course, highly recommended" (about: 2015)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I came from the US to visit friends in Brisbane and run the marathon. We were able to park easily within walking distance of the start line about 60 min before the race. Flat, as advertised, so quite a fast course. Starting temperatures were ideal, around 52F (11C) but with a clear sky and limited shade it was a little too toasty towards the end. I thought the course route was quite interesting, including streets busy with tourists and a few quieter spots with views of the surf. I very much enjoyed cooling down my legs in the bay just behind the bag drop tents in the finish area, comparing experiences with other runners! This was a well organized event and hard to fault. It boasts IAAF Gold Certification, so my expectations were very high for all aspects of the event, and I found a few things disappointing: " Large expo but no marathon branded items on sale that I could find. I would have dropped a lot of money on race related mementoes. The tote bag, aside from the race bib, is empty. No event brochure, and course maps available only on request. Finishers medal and tech t-shirt after the run. All a little underwhelming for a destination marathon. " The volunteers at the aid stations need some help. In the US, armies of school kids typically help stack layers of drinks before runners arrive and hand out to runners as they pass. At GCM the few volunteers could barely keep enough cups full as the 3:30 wave of runners came through. The narrow course around the early stations doesnt help either. " Perhaps this is normal for Australia but I was surprised how little food was offered at the end, just orange slices and bananas as far as I could tell. At least some food was on sale around the finishing area so not all bad. Still, most the 5ks in the US I run offer more than this. Overall, I really enjoyed this marathon, and ended up only 25 sec short of my all time PR. Highly recommended. | |
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S. J. from Singapore
(7/8/2014)
"I love Gold Coast!" (about: 2014)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I just finished 2014 GCM 2 days ago and I really want to share my thoughts here. What I loved 1) I finally know why their beach is called 'Surfer's Paradise' bcos this place looks exactly like paradise! It is no doubt a wonderful experience to run along Surfer's Paradise with the perfect weather and encouraging crowd, especially the cute Aussie kids who are always eager to give u a 'High Five' along the way! 2) Maybe bcos of the small crowd (abt 5k+ participants for full marathon), the whole event was pretty hassle free for me, from collection of race pack to finding a parking lot nearby start line to dropping my baggage to finding a toilet b4 race, etc. I definitely do not miss the 'stampede' like Tokyo or Singapore marathon. 3) Despite only 5k+ participants, most were serious runners and I managed to clock my PB of 3.42hr by following the pace of the crowd! What can be improved 1) It would be good if there is advance signage to notify us of water point, esp. those who prefer to take gels just 100-200m b4 water point & not at the water point itself. 2) Some routes are a little narrow which take more effort to overtake. So you need to plan when to attack the course. 3) I rented a car and find myself ahead of schedule at the start line. However I saw a lot of people waiting for shuttle buses and I felt more could be done to transport participants to the start line on time. Overall, this is the best overseas marathon (compared to Tokyo, Phuket, KL) for me. Phuket & KL is out due to the hot weather. Tokyo makes u feel like a small fish in a big pond whereas gold coast makes u feel like a big fish in a v nice pond! Highly recommend for those looking for a nice getaway and a fuss free race! | |
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J. L. from Sydney, Australia
(7/2/2012)
"Flat and friendly" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 There's a lot of great things about the GCM: - Flat course - Good number of runners, not too crowded but never lonely - Great crowd support and an incredibly friendly city - Lots of aid stations - Good weekend break destination for people south of the border Some cons: - Dead flat course gets a bit monotonous - Not that scenic, most of the time you're running through residential areas - Can be hot and there's very little shade on the course - Double out and back course means you have to run past the finish line at 32km - Only the 30km aid station had energy gels on offer - the others only had water or Endura drinks. Some food would have been nice. Overall I thought it was a very well organised race, but the course just didn't suit me; I prefer races with more variety. Beaches may be pretty but they get fairly samey, and in any case there was usually a row of houses blocking the scenery. It was possibly the friendliest marathon I've done: very impressed with Gold Coast hospitality. | |
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D. J. from Texas
(3/17/2009)
"Not bad; weather unpredictable." (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Being a coastal town, the weather is variable. Might have perfect weather, or like the day I ran, humid and hot. I thought the water stations were not organized as well as they should be; there were not a lot of electrolyte drinks, mainly water. But the course is mostly flat, with just a few low bridge crossings. Spectators good. I guess I was just disappointed by weather, as I finished 20 minutes slower than my PR just six months earlier. Intense sun combined with humidity. But actually, it was cold just two days before race. It's a crap-shoot on weather. | |
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V. c. from Singapore
(11/13/2008)
"Really enjoyable, flat run." (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon. The bib collection went really smoothly. On the morning of the race, we went to the bus stop designated for our area to find a line that took 40 minutes to get to the front of. We had made provisions for this, but in the end we made it to the start line barely in time. I am sure many people must have had raised blood pressure by the start. The return was even worse; we actually walked 7K back to our hotel as we just could not get on the bus. The race was really good, if not a little boring. Very few spectators but the ones who were out often in pajamas were great - really supportive. The folk at the refreshment stops were the best! Someone must have trained these people what to say to pump you up; awesome. Our fellow runners were really polite. No bumping, shoving or stopping dead in front of you as I have put up with in previous half-marathons. Shorter distance racers were segregated from marathon and half-marathon runners really well. My first, so a great experience, but I am looking to more interesting races in future. This is becoming a big marathon, so logistics before and after the marathon will need to improve. Thanks, Queensland; it was great fun, all in all. | |
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L. O. from Victoria, Australia
(7/19/2008)
"The course is great, shuttle buses terrible." (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Gold Coast Airport Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This was the 5th time I had completed the Gold Coast Marathon. The course and the spectators are great. But the event has got too big to accommodate the participants. The shuttle buses to get you to the start of the race were advertised at 5-minute intervals at Ocean Ave., and Ferny Pde., but I and 200 others waited and watched from 5:30 a.m. to 6:15 a.m. as 9 buses failed to stop at our location. These buses continued past our location until finally one stopped just after 6:15 a.m. The result was that I missed the start of the race by 3 to 5 minutes and the half marathoners missed their race by 20 minutes. What's worse is that when this was brought to the attention of the organizers after the race, they stated that the same had occurred last year but nothing had been done to fix the problem this year. Their suggestion was that we should have tried to catch the 5:00 a.m. shuttle. I wouldn't recommend catching the shuttle bus to this race next year. |
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