Welcome to the most unique marathon on the calendar. The event sets off in the dark, head lamps are a must. The course is made up of road, dirt, bush and beach. This track has very little elevation so if you are looking for a PB, this is your event! Teams of two can enter the event with a swap out check point at 21km into the race.
| Distance | 42.2km |
| Teams | Teams of 2 or 4 are able to participate in the event. |
| Start Time | 5:00am |
| Briefing | 4:45am |
| Cut off time | All competitors will be allowed to finish the race in their own time, within reason.
Race officials can and will withdraw competitors from the course if required. |
| Age restrictions | Minimum 18 years – under 18yrs upon application. |
| Mandatory gear | – Closed in shoes
– Head Lamp (Drop box on course will be available)
– 1x Smart snake bandage
– Whistle
– Individual competitors: race bib to be worn on your front and visible at all times
– Team competitors: race bib to be worn on your front and back and visible at all times
-Water carrier (e.g. hydration pack) with a 1lt minimum capacity to be carried at all times. |
The marathon starts at the Andoom Oval where runners will depart the oval and run south along Andoom Road for approximately 5 km, this section is a public road and is straight and flat. Runners will then follow the road as it crosses over the railway line and heads back north towards the Mission River, this section is a formed up gravel road with the railway line on the left hand side and well forested by trees on the right.
The section has some light undulation and bends in the road. At the 11.0km mark runners will come to the Mission River (aid station #2) and if the sun is up you will have very nice views of the Mission River Bridge and up the Mission Rivers mangrove lined banks. Runners will run underneath the bridge and up the stairs to reach Andoom Road again, following along until the entry of ‘Turtle Track’.
The course then heads west along a dirt track past the Rocky Point swamp and into the ‘single persons quarters’ following the bitumen road through to the Rocky Point boat ramp – this is aid station #3 which is at the 14km mark. From here runners will run along the white sandy beach on hard sand for approximately 1km before leaving the river bank slightly and following a track through the bush to the Albatross Hotel, where the bottle shops drive through will be setup with aid station #4. Cold one anyone??
Runners will then head out onto the public road for a short period before following the bitumen bike track over Trunding Creek, past the shopping centre and into the Weipa Caravan Park (where the toilets will be available for use if needed). Once through the caravan park runners will be onto the dirt road which passes by the Weipa freshwater lakes. Aid station #5 will be at kilometre 20.4km and will be a full service aid station with water, electrolyte, fruit, gels and toilets. This is also the change over mark for the Team events and major spectator vantage point.
This aid station will be passed again on the way back and is the ideal location for spectators as it has lots of shade, children’s playground, toilets and seating.
At kilometer 24.5km runners will be off the dirt road and back onto bitumen as they pass Mitre 10 (and aid station #6). A sharp left at the end of the industrial estate will see runner travel a short dirt track section before rejoining the bitumen bicycle path heading back north towards the township of Weipa. The turnaround point for the marathon will be clearly marked at the 27.5km mark.
From the turnaround point, runners head back the way they came along the bitumen bicycle track, passing Mitre 10 (aid station#6) and following the same dirt road around the lakes (and aid station #5) and through the caravan park.
Once back through the caravan park, runners will cross the main road and head into the bush area down behind the Weipa Hospital, following the track through to Andoom Road. The track is a single vehicle bush track with mild undulation throughout. Runners will come out of the bush track and take a left turn onto the Andoom at the 41.0km mark for a final run along straight bitumen road to the finishing Shute.
Click here to view the map
