Adelaide Marathon Festival
Adelaide, Australia · Sunday 3 May 2026
The Adelaide Marathon Festival takes place in Adelaide, South Australia, on Sunday, 3 May 2026. As South Australia's biggest running celebration, the event draws over 3,000 participants across multiple distances and brings together the local running community for a day of racing and camaraderie. The city and its surroundings provide the backdrop for this AIMS-certified course, offering runners a chance to experience Adelaide while pursuing their fitness goals, whether they're chasing personal records or qualifying times. The marathon course is a trail-based route with genuine hilliness throughout, featuring consistent elevation changes that will test your legs and lungs across the full 42.2 kilometres. Expect undulating terrain rather than a flat, fast affair, with the course climbing and descending as it winds through the landscape. The elevation ranges modestly across the route, but the cumulative vertical gain means this is not a course to approach lightly if you're targeting a quick time. Trail running conditions and the hilly character make this a race that demands respect for its terrain and rewards runners who've trained on similar ground.
Difficulty Calculator
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Adjusted Time
4:47:07
Time difference: +47.1 minutes compared to a flat, road, temperate course.
Course Details
Elevation Gain503m
Elevation High55m
Elevation Low17m
Weather Forecast
High17°C
Low13°C
Chance of Rain100%
Adelaide Marathon Festival 2026 Course Analysis
Adelaide Marathon Festival is a full marathon held in Adelaide, Australia, scheduled for Sunday 3 May 2026. The course is run on trail surface with 503m of total elevation gain, reaching a maximum altitude of 55m above sea level. For registration and full race details, visit the official Adelaide Marathon Festival website.
Elevation Profile
This is a hilly course with 503m of total elevation gain. The route climbs from 17m to as high as 55m above sea level — a substantial 38m elevation range. Runners should train on hills and plan for a more conservative pacing strategy, especially on the climbs.
Expected Race Day Weather
Based on historical weather data for May, the expected race day conditions are as follows. Moderate temperatures between 13°C and 17°C are expected. While comfortable for most runners, those targeting fast times should pay attention to hydration, as these temperatures can impact performance over the full distance. There is a high chance of rain (100%). Runners should prepare for wet conditions, including appropriate footwear and clothing choices.
Surface Type: Trail
Adelaide Marathon Festival is a trail race, meaning the course includes unpaved surfaces such as dirt, gravel, or forest paths. Trail surfaces are inherently slower than road courses due to uneven footing, technical sections, and often steeper gradients. Trail-specific shoes with good grip are recommended, and runners should expect a finish time 10-20% slower than their equivalent road marathon time.
How Difficult Is Adelaide Marathon Festival?
Our difficulty rating for Adelaide Marathon Festival is calculated using a model that combines elevation gain, temperature impact, and surface type. Use the difficulty calculator above to enter your target finish time and see exactly how many minutes this course would add or subtract compared to a perfectly flat, cool, road-based marathon. Faster runners and slower runners are affected differently by the same course conditions, so the difficulty is personalised to your pace.
Looking for an easier marathon or a tougher challenge? You can also compare Adelaide Marathon Festival against other marathons to find the right race for your goals.
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