Gold Coast Marathon weekend kicks off with sold-out Southern Cross University 10km Run

With more than 38,000 runners competing over the two-day event, the 2025 edition of the marathon is set to become the largest one to date.

This year also marks the 18th consecutive year of Southern Cross University’s naming sponsorship of the 10km Run, which is sold-out.

With only a few hours left until the big day, lecturer in Physiotherapy at the Gold Coast campus Dr Gabriel Fernandes provides the runners with some last-minute advice.

“First of all, well done! You've made it this far, and you've prepared as much as you could. Long-distance running (10 km, 21 km, or 42 km) is very demanding on the body, so it’s important to listen to how you’re feeling in the final days and during the race.  If you notice pain that worsens as you run, consider stopping to walk for a bit, stretch it out, and try to resume running at a slower pace. Most running-related injuries are due to overloading, doing more than your body is ready for, without enough time to recover or adapt. In these final days before the event, rest from running and allow your body time to recover. Light activities like swimming, walking, light resistance training or gentle mobility work can promote active recovery while helping you arrive at race day feeling fresh and strong.

In addition to listening to our body, Dr Fernandes highlights how important it is to tackle any possible issues as soon as possible.

“If you're already dealing with pain or discomfort, it's still worth checking in with a physiotherapist. They can offer tailored advice or apply taping to help reduce symptoms and improve comfort so you can give your best on the day. After the race, take it easy. Give your body time to recover with light movement: gentle jogging, stretching, or low-resistance strength work. If any niggles persist or if you pick up an injury during the event, don’t delay early treatment can make all the difference. Good luck, go out and have fun!” said Dr Fernandes.

Dr Fernandes and post-doctoral research fellow Dr Melanie Clark recently participated in the Gold Coast Marathon Series podcast, Mind, body, marathon – Southern Cross University Experts, where they discussed both the physical and mental preparation for the marathon.

PhD student and Team SCU member Grace Redden, who just came back from participating in an ultramarathon in South Africa, will be running her second Gold Coast Marathon this year.

“I’ll be running twice at the Gold Coast Marathon this year (both the half and full). Last year’s event was my first marathon ever. Although I never imagined running long-distance, it’s now become one of my favourite races to run and train for.

“I had an open goal for last year’s event (finish it and have fun). However, this year I will be using the marathon as a qualifier for another race overseas, which has a specific time cut-off, and thus this year is a specific time goal,” said Grace.

Also ready to achieve her best mark this weekend is Chloe Martin, a first-year Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science student and elite athlete. Chloe’s journey in athletics started when she was in Primary school. “I played tennis for almost 10 years growing up, and started athletics when I was nine. At the beginning of high school, I had to choose between the two as the training demands increased, so I chose athletics,” said Chloe.

As part of Team SCU, Chloe represented Southern Cross University at the UniSport Nationals Athletics event earlier this year and competed at the Australian Track & Field Championships in Perth.

“I loved representing the University at the UniSport Nationals! Although the weather wasn't ideal, the event was super fun, and I loved the team environment, especially in such an individual sport like athletics. I would definitely encourage anyone who wanted to have a try! The Australian Track and Field Championships in Perth were an amazing experience. I loved travelling across the country and exploring Perth. I was also super happy to make the U20 Women's 400 Hurdles final for the first time!”

Team SCU

This year, Team SCU will consist of 148 participants (84 females and 64 males), with the largest cohort (63) running the sold-out Southern Cross University 10km Run.

35 runners will be taking part in the Half Marathon (21km), 24 are ready to conquer the Full Marathon (42km), and 26 will tackle shorter runs.

Out of those 148 runners, nearly 50 per cent are current students, 20 per cent are Southern Cross staff, and a little bit more than 30 per cent are alumni or community members.

One of Team SCU’s senior runners who will be tackling the Southern Cross 10Km run on Saturday is the triathlete Claire O’Meara, who enrolled in the Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology after two decades in the army and a few years as a staffer in the Federal Government. Based in Lismore, Claire was also a Southern Cross staff member for a while and worked as a Student Ambassador and in the Admissions department.

“The best way to prepare for a marathon is to be consistent in your training; little bits often are better than long, hard runs once a week. On race day, be disciplined and stick to your race plan. Don't get caught up in the frenzy at the start of the race. Pace yourself, it is a marathon, not a sprint,” said Claire.

Recovery Hub

Southern Cross health students and supervisors will be on hand in the race precinct at the Southern Cross University Recovery Hub across the race weekend, providing recovery treatment for race participants. “Among them, Osteopathy students will be offering 20-minute recovery treatments, both at the Recovery Hub and in the ASICS Recovery Zone. They’ll be joined by Exercise Science students, delivering hands-on care and support to runners,” said lecturer Kristy Buist, Work Integrated Learning Academic Coordinator for Osteopathy.

The National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) will also be present, offering therapeutic teas and consultations to assist with recovery. “For the first time, student naturopaths will be offering consultations to assist recovery, and representatives from NCNM will offer recovery teas - an activity that has been well-received for the past few years,” said Dr Andrea Bugarcic, Deputy Director, Education at the NCNM.

In addition, Southern Cross is partnering with ASICS in their Recovery Zone, where current Osteopathy and Exercise Science students will provide recovery treatments.

“This collaboration with ASICS provides students a unique, real-world learning experience that integrates cross-disciplinary practice with industry engagement, supporting athlete wellbeing while enhancing student education,” said Kristy Buist.

ASICS Expo

Another feature is the ASICS Expo, which is being held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from Thursday, 3 July to Saturday, 5 July.

Come visit the Expo and have a chat with our Student Ambassadors, who’ll be delighted to tell you everything about Southern Cross and the courses on offer.

If you’d like to learn more marathon tips, click here.