Chrisden Russ finished first at Weipa parkrun on Saturday, completing the 5-kilometre course in 20 minutes and 15 seconds. The event, instalment number 493, drew 44 competitors, including three first-timers. Adriana Rodriguez was the first woman across the line, recording a personal best of 24 minutes and 15 seconds. Beatrice Mullins and Sofia Sanchez also set personal bests. Six volunteers ran the event. Since the event began a decade ago, 600 people have volunteered 3414 times.
Got Your Back Sista is calling on Australians to walk or run this Sunday in its annual I Run For Her campaign against domestic and family violence. The seventh-year event has no set distance or fitness requirement and aims to honour victims and raise funds for survivors. The Newcastle-based charity marks its 10th anniversary this year, having supported more than 5,000 women and children. The Newcastle Knights backed the campaign, with players Mat Croker and Bo Vette-Welsh appearing in its promotional video.
Torquay local Josh Farr has started a challenge to run 10 half-marathons in 10 days, raising money and awareness for people experiencing homelessness. He is fundraising through Ned's Uncomfortable Challenge, which is partnering with Melbourne-based charity We Are Mobilise this year. Farr said upfront costs such as bonds and bills can stop people from escaping homelessness. He hopes his runs will spark conversations and encourage donations. Farr has raised about $32,300 towards his $50,000 goal, with a final run on 28 October in Torquay.
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Events Management Queensland has launched a new premium membership, called E2, that gives discounted entry to the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport Running Festival. The program costs $199 a year and was launched on 15 October 2026. Members also receive priority access to the ASICS Gold Coast Marathon, discounted entry to other Queensland events, and exclusive merchandise. The membership is aimed at people who plan their sporting calendar well ahead, according to chief executive Ben Mannion. E2 is available through the official Events Management Queensland membership website.
Junior runner Ralph Mullins finished first at the Weipa parkrun on 17 October with a personal best time of 21 minutes, 13 seconds. Forty-one participants took part in the 492nd weekly five-kilometre event. Mullins also won the 10 October event, cutting 20 seconds off his earlier record. Almost half of the top 10 finishers were under 18. The event is held each Saturday morning at the hospital roundabout shelter in Nanum, with a 7 am start.
An orienteering event called the Geelong City Race is coming to Geelong in November. Participants will use a full-colour map to find checkpoints, choosing their own routes between each one. There are six courses, ranging from 3km to 10km, covering the waterfront, Eastern Park and the city centre. Two additional events are planned for Saturday 21 November, including a sprint course at Kardinia International College and mountain bike orienteering at Deakin University's Waurn Ponds campus. Entries are open.
A 16-year-old from Capel in Western Australia has completed a 660km run along the Gibb River Road in the state's far north. Lochlan Gilbert ran about 50km a day over 14 days, starting early and resting in the midday heat. He suffered suspected stress fractures and heat stroke along the way. He crossed the finish line where the road meets the Derby Highway, having raised more than $23,000 for homelessness. He returned to high school after the run.
The Traralgon parkrun community marked parkrun's 22nd birthday on Saturday, October 3, with participants wearing tutus. Since starting in 2015, the Traralgon event has had more than 6000 participants and over 600 volunteers. Local runner Errol Poole has completed 591 parkruns over more than 14 years. In NSW, Kylie Murray was the first woman to finish the 57 kilometre Port Stephens Trail Run. The Harriers' summer season began on Thursday, October 8, with trail and hill runs.
Adelaide's Izzi Batt-Doyle has broken the Australian marathon record with a time of 2:20:38 at the Chicago Marathon. She took 46 seconds off the mark set by fellow South Australian Jess Stenson in Valencia in December. Batt-Doyle finished sixth overall in the women's race, which was won by Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia. Her fiancé Riley Cocks paced her through the race. Kenya's Amos Kipruto won the men's race in 2:01:09.
Ralph Mullins was the first male runner across the line at the Weipa parkrun on Saturday, recording a personal best time of 21 minutes and 33 seconds. Adriana Rodriguez was the first female finisher, also setting a personal best, with a time of 25:18. Fifty-seven participants, including five first-timers, took part in the 491st event. Seven volunteers helped run the event, which starts at 7 am each Saturday at the hospital roundabout shelter in Nanum.
AFL great Kane Cornes finished the 42.2km division of the Perth Running Festival in under three hours. The race was among those in the event's largest ever field, with 18,750 runners from 58 countries taking part on Sunday. All proceeds go to Telethon. Cornes plans a second marathon on Rottnest Island on Thursday for the charity. The Perth event also drew about 50,000 people including spectators.
Kenyan Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge has broken the race record at the Melbourne Marathon. He pulled away in the final 10 kilometres and finished in 2 hours 9 minutes 10 seconds, two seconds faster than the previous best. Australians Thomas Do Canto and Reece Edwards finished second and third. New Zealand's Camille French won the women's race. The 42.2 kilometre course ended inside the MCG, where Kipchoge said he came to celebrate 70 years since the stadium hosted the 1956 Olympic marathon.
Running is a common form of exercise but has a high injury rate, particularly among beginners. Most injuries affect the knee, ankle and lower leg, and are often overuse injuries. Strength training may help prevent injuries, but adherence to such programs is crucial. Other strategies to reduce injury risk include gradual increases in running distance, proper nutrition, and running on softer surfaces like grass.
Sally Beggs has completed a 50-kilometre ultramarathon in 10 hours and 24 minutes, a personal best. She began running after her sister encouraged her to participate in a half marathon, despite initially being unfit. Beggs now competes in the Grampians Peaks Trail 50-kilometre ultramarathon, which traverses tough terrain in Gariwerd/Grampians National Park. The sport of ultramarathons and trail running is growing in popularity, attracting a diverse range of participants.
Canberra’s first ultra-running event, the Hybrid 24 Backyard Ultra, will take place at Stromlo Forest Park on 5 and 6 December. Participants can run a 6.7km loop every hour for up to 24 hours, with no set distance required. Organisers aim to create a welcoming atmosphere, with local food vendors, music, and activities. All profits will be donated to the Shake It Up Australia Foundation, which supports Parkinson’s research.
