GOLD COAST MARATHON SERIES 2026: WE’RE BACK
In The Beginning | Australian Running and Endurance PodcastShow Notes
The Gold Coast Marathon Series is back for 2026.
After an unforgettable first year following Bronte’s journey from half marathoner to marathon finisher, Liam and Courtney return with Benita Willis from Lace Up Running, more first-timers, more experts, more half marathon focus and a brand new challenge for Courtney — The Experiment.
Whether you’re chasing the full, the half or just trying to make it to the start line healthy, this is your kickoff.
Follow the podcast on Instagram @inthebeginningpodcast Courtney on Strava Liam on Strava
More from In The Beginning | Australian Running and Endurance Podcast
Noosa Triathlon is 11 days away, so we’ve pulled the best of coach Dan Atkins from last year’s Road to Noosa series into one episode, in race order. Dan is an Olympic coach and coaches world champion Matt Hauser, and he takes you through the whole course: reading the ocean and getting through the surf, swimming wide of the turn cans, spinning the first 10K of the bike, getting down Garmin Hill, running the first KM 10% slower, and the food, sleep, race breakfast and Saturday jobs for these last 10 days.
Courtney ran 1:16:37 in the Nike Melbourne Marathon half, with a negative split and second in his age group, and insists nobody cares about the second bit. Both of us met Eliud Kipchoge: Courtney got his structure question answered on the finish line at the MCG, and Liam's phone tried to answer for him mid-Q&A.
A fitness influencer with 530,000 followers rode the back of a bike at 38km in Berlin and posted a PB. Courtney reckons the brands should be checking who they sign. It's Melbourne race week. Courtney's still not sure he can hold a half marathon flat out, Liam has a question loaded for Eliud Kipchoge's breakfast, and someone has just done 35 laps of Nerang's Goat Loop, 245km in 50 hours.
Liam opens with an apology. His DNF tax went down like a lead balloon, and his wife says he doubled down when Courtney called it.
Liam wants anyone who DNFs a sold-out marathon to pay 25% more to enter next year, refunded when they finish. Courtney isn't buying it.