Race Training Plans
Gold Coast Marathon
Training Plan
The Gold Coast Marathon is one of Australia's most iconic road races — a flat, fast course through Surfers Paradise that makes it a top choice for first-timers and PB chasers alike. Build your free personalised plan below.
For official race registration, dates and course information visit the Gold Coast Marathon official website.
Choose Your Distance
The Gold Coast Marathon weekend offers races across multiple distances. PaceLab can build a personalised plan for any of them.
Why Gold Coast is Perfect for a PB
The Gold Coast Marathon course runs along the coastal strip — largely flat, well-organised, and with excellent crowd support. Average July temperatures in the low-to-mid 20s Celsius make it one of the most comfortable major marathon conditions in Australia.
The race is an AIMS-certified course, which means finish times are eligible for world rankings and Boston Marathon qualification. If you're targeting a qualifying time, Gold Coast is one of Australia's best opportunities.
Training tip: A July race means starting your training plan in March–April. Use the race date selector in PaceLab and scroll your training length to find the ideal start date for your schedule.
How Long to Train
For the full marathon, allow 16–20 weeks if you're a regular runner (25–30km/week base), or 20–24 weeks if you're building from a lower base. Marathon training is demanding — the longer build gives your body time to adapt safely.
For the half marathon, 10–14 weeks is sufficient for most runners with a base of 20–25km per week. Beginners should allow 14–16 weeks.
Ready to Train for Gold Coast?
GCM Training Plan
Set your race date to July, pick your distance and goal pace, and get a week-by-week plan — exportable straight to your calendar.
⚡ Build My Gold Coast Plan