Your 2023 Running Events Guide Pt. 1
Welcome to our two-part series on all things running!
As we settle into the new year, we are excited to set new goals and challenges for the year ahead. Following our 2022 blog on Nedd Brockman about resiliency and what it means to ‘be comfortable being uncomfortable,’ we were inspired and have put together a list of popular Sunshine Coast running events which may inspire you to also set a new challenge in 2023.
The Sunshine Coast is the perfect setting for running training; beautiful summer mornings and glorious sunny afternoons set the scene for a motivating beachside jog or trail run in the hinterland. Our local backyard is home to some of the best conditions for running training; you can run the hills of Buderim for cardiovascular fitness, traverse the Mt Coolum stairs for strength training, run trails such as Emu Mountain or Noosa National Park for trail running and coordination, or take a gentle slow run along Alexandra Headland to Mooloolaba.
If you are feeling motivated to schedule in some local running events for 2023, we have a guide to help!
The following is a list of popular Sunshine Coast running events in 2023:
1. Noosa Ultra (March 23-26th 2023)
What an exciting event to kick off the list; the Noosa Ultra-Trail four-day trail running festival! Hosting a variety of six different trail run events from 23rd-26th of March, the Noosa Ultra showcases the beautiful landscape of the Noosa trail network. From Lake MacDonald, Kin Kin, Cooran, Pomona and Cooroy, check out their website for further information about the trail runs which range from a 15km Forest Trail Run to 100km Ultra Trail Run. For those spectators who aren’t runners but may like to make the most of Noosa over the weekend, check out the lifestyle events such as the Women in Sport luncheon featuring guest speaker Simone Hayes, or enjoy a free yoga session with Kat Harding.
https://www.noosaultratrail.com.au/
2. Yandina Five ‘0’ (March 25th 2023)
Literally meaning ‘to go on foot,’ Yandina hosts the popular Yandina Five ‘O,’ concluding at the popular brewery, Terella Brewing. Traversing through Mapleton National Park and ending with a fresh beverage and meal at the end of the run, what a better way to spend your Saturday than enjoying a beer at the end of a hard days work. Every participant gets a free shirt too! Distances included are 12km, 21km, 36km, 50km trail events. Be sure to include some hill training in your preparation for this event!
https://www.runqld.com.au/yandina-50
3. Noosa Runaway (May 27th 2023)
Leading into the cooler months, the Noosa Runaway kicks off the first of the winter running events. Featuring a 5km walk/run, 10km run, half marathon and marathon, the Noosa Runaway spans the Noosa foreshore. An enjoyable flat, multi lap road run, set in the heart of Noosa, participants can grab brekky, a coffee and ocean dip following their morning run.
For those who aren’t keen on donning the joggers and would rather enjoy an ocean swim, you can participate in the Sunday ocean swimming events ranging from 500m to 3.8km.
https://runawaynoosamarathon.com.au/
4. Cooroy Mountain Park Fun Run (July 2nd 2023)
For those who aren’t heading to the Gold Coast for the Gold Coast Marathon the first weekend of July, you may enjoy a more gentle, less crowed, countryside fun run in Cooroy. Suited to trail runners of all levels, this beautiful run takes you across Cooroy’s undulating terrain. Runners can choose to do a 5km single lap 10km double lap!
https://cooroymountainrun.wordpress.com/
5. Pomona Mountain Run (July 23rd 2023)
If you are a determined trail runner, unafraid of a little incline, some stairs, dirt and abseiling up a mountain, this event may be for you! 2022 King of the mountain, Mark Bourne took out the title in an incredible 31:24, while Queen of the mountain was home in 40:39. An incredible event, but not for the feint hearted!
https://kingofthemountain.com.au/
6. Sunshine Coast Marathon (August 12-13th 2023)
Entries for the inaugural Sunshine Coast Marathon are officially open! If you are well prepared and determined to run a personal best in 2023, you have sufficient time to prepare, train and make friends with Alex Hill before the August event. What a fun event, it’s always enjoyable running alongside your home crowd and to have family, friends and local supporters cheering you on. We are entering a Back to Bounce team in this one so please come along to our run club, and if you are eager, you can wear a Back to Bounce team shirt on the day!
https://www.sunshinecoastmarathon.com.au/
We have decided to enter as a team to the Yandina Five- O and Noosa Runaway Marathon! If you’d like to join our team for these events or make a team any others drop us a line!
We have some exciting running training news that we’ll be announcing very soon… Watch this space!
Whilst training for your event, don’t forget about the great local Parkrun events around the Sunshine Coast; a free 5km run every Saturday morning at 7am. These are great for training and are always a friendly way to push yourself. These events take place locally in Nambour, Kawana, Brightwater and Mudjimba Beach and are run by generous volunteers. You can register before running via the Parkrun website if you would like your time and place recorded.
Remember to follow a structured running program and if possible, professional guidance from a coach or health professional regarding training load, progressing distances. The running world can be overwhelming to navigate; tempo runs, fartlek runs, endurance, speed, VO2 max, hill workouts, the exponential variety of running shoes on the market and nutritional supplements available can make it running seem a little daunting - we are always here for support or to point you in the right direction if you need it!
Pro Tip: Use the basic principles of not changing shoes, running style or running surfaces. Try not to progress distances too quickly, using the principle of progressing by no more than 10% each week.
