Looking for a race that combines the thrill of competition with the convenience of running in your favourite local spots? Look no further than the Gold Coast Virtual Marathon. This year’s event takes place between 6-14th July and offers a unique virtual experience for all runners around the world to participate in one of the most iconic marathons, all from the comfort of their local neighbourhood.
Whether you’re in your local park, on a scenic trail, or even on a treadmill, the Gold Coast Virtual Marathon lets you choose your ideal running location. You have the flexibility to complete the marathon at your own pace, on your own schedule, and in your preferred setting. It’s your race, your rules.
UK ultrarunner, Nick Onslow, has run the virtual event in 2022 and 2023.
‘I think there’s something special about doing it virtually. Not everyone can afford to go to these wonderful places and run, so to be able to do it as a virtual challenge is the next best thing.’
Nick lives in the small rural village of Bramley, in Hampshire, and took advantage of his local running routes and parkrun so he could run some of the race with friends and club runners.
‘I used it as my commute to work the first year! And then in 2023 I just did a local run that I do most Saturdays to parkrun but just extended it a bit on the way there and rounded it up on the way home. It was a nice local route, I ran to the event with a friend of mine, had company during the parkrun, and then ran home and finished the last bit solo around the village where I live.’
Originally a road cyclist and mountain biker, Nick progressed to Sprint and Olympic distance triathlons before his running journey really took off. Since 2016 Nick has run more than 35 Marathons, 20 Ultras, and has run over 100 miles in 24 hours in four separate events.
Nick’s passion for running is matched by his enjoyment of being part of the global running community, who can connect through events like the Gold Coast Virtual Marathon. You can track your progress alongside participants worldwide, share your achievements on social media, and draw inspiration from fellow runners’ stories. It’s not just a race; it’s a commitment to your fitness goals and a testament to your dedication. Whether you’re aiming for a personal best or simply enjoying the journey, this event offers the perfect platform to push your limits and achieve something extraordinary.
‘It’s a great event to do if you’ve never done a virtual. It’s very easy to enter, the communication is great with details of how to upload your run at the end, you can see how you’ve done against the rest of the world in your age category on a leaderboard, and you get a nice t-shirt, a finishers medal and more. It’s a great experience and you really do get that feeling that you’ve taken part in something that happened on the other side of the world.’
The finishing touch to the Gold Coast Virtual Marathon experience is the iTAB, a small custom plate engraved with your name and time that attaches neatly onto the reverse of your medal, or the medal ribbon. Nick loves to personalise all his medals with an iTAB!
‘It’s a nice memento for the day’s event. In the future you can look at the back of the medal, or on the ribbon hanger, and see the time you’ve done. The iTAB creates an everlasting memory!’
You can order your iTAB for the Gold Coast Virtual Marathon through the race registration, or for any Gold Coast Marathon medal, past or present, directly from the iTAB website.
So, join thousands of runners all around the world, and register now to celebrate the 44th edition of the Gold Coast Marathon with this unique running experience!