The inaugural Geelong Running Festival in 2026 is poised to contain a marathon

A region-first marathon in Geelong is well into the planning stages as part of a wider Running Festival overseen by a former Olympian.

Lee Troop, competing at the Gold Coast Marathon in 2014, has played a leading role in establishing the Geelong Running Festival. Picture: David Clark

A maiden marathon is set be part of Geelong’s inaugural Running Festival next year and could bring up to 30,000 people to the region.

The Geelong Running Festival was initially proposed for this September but was postponed to ensure it met operational and safety standards.
Cr Eddy Kontelj told this masthead on Saturday morning the City of Greater Geelong had planned the course and had completed work into the economic impact of the wider event, set for September 20, 2026.

Former Olympian Lee Troop and his company Team Troop Events have played a key role in the event’s creation, announcing back in January it had received in-principle support from the council.

Team Troop Events has partnered with O2 Events Australia – it specialises in cycling, triathlons and fun runs – to deliver the first edition of the Running Festival.

Lee Troop with Cr Eddy Kontelj have been working to bring a marathon to Geelong for several years. Picture: Geelong Running Festival.

On Saturday morning, Cr Kontelj was expecting the marathon to attract thousands of competitors next year.

“I think we could have up to 8000 competitors just in the marathon itself,” Cr Kontelj said.

“This would be an inaugural marathon for Geelong.

“The council has been working in collaboration with Lee Troop and council has signed off, in-principle, the marathon course and the half-marathon course and also in-principle the date.

“It’ll try to take in all of the main aspects of Geelong, being the waterfront, being some of the city centre, Moorabool St, going past Kardinia Park and taking in all of the iconic areas of Geelong, it’ll be quite a picturesque course.

“We’ll also take in aspects of Rippleside, those beautiful areas we have on the Corio Bay.

“I’m thrilled to talk about it, each participant generally has at least one if not two people come with them, so this could bring up to 30,000 people into our city.

Geelong councillor Eddy Kontelj first got the idea for a marathon in Geelong after competing in New York's famous event. Picture: Eddy Kontelj.

“How fantastic will it be that the convention centre will be already finished by that time?

“Our waterfront and the city will be thriving on the back of this event.”

Cr Kontelj had put in his election material that he would work to deliver an international marathon and running festival for the city, which would bolster tourism.

“I know from experience, having competed in the New York Marathon, generally when you travel to a marathon you then plan a stay or a holiday around that marathon and that’s what we will see in Geelong with international participants,” he said.

Originally published as The inaugural Geelong Running Festival in 2026 is poised to contain a marathon