Runaway Sydney

One of Australia’s longest running and most popular half marathons will return to the streets of Sydney on Sunday 21 May to celebrate its 30th birthday with a new look, as the Runaway Sydney Half Marathon.

The Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon has been a part of the country’s running calendar since 1992 with the latest evolution of this much-loved event seeing it become Runaway Sydney.

Runaway Sydney will now join three incredible destination running events across Australia and New Zealand as part of the Runaway Marathon Series. The Runaway Marathon Series currently takes runners to Queenstown and Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand and Noosa in Queensland, all destinations where natural beauty, world class running, local hospitality and food and wine options make for so much more than just another running event.

A new identity isn’t the only update coming to the event as it celebrates its 30th birthday this May. In 2023 Runaway Sydney will take place on a revised half marathon course with a brand new 10km event now also on offer. May’s event will take in all of the best sights of Sydney, now with two distance options.

Geoff Meyer, Managing Director of Oceania for The IRONMAN Group, organisers of Runaway Sydney, said that the changes were exciting for the event team and runners alike.

“Over the last 29 years The Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon has grown to be one of the largest half marathons in the country, providing runners with the opportunity to take to the streets of Sydney and challenge themselves and we look forward to it becoming Runaway Sydney this year,” said Meyer. “We’re excited to be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the event with a new identity, new course and new 10km option, providing the opportunity for more runners than ever before to be involved.

“We’re also looking forward to welcoming Runaway Sydney into the Runaway Marathon Series, joining Noosa, Queenstown and Hawke’s Bay as host of a premium, unique and welcoming running event that embraces and celebrates all that these amazing destinations have to offer,” he said. “Our Runaway Marathon Series runners love taking part in these events and I’m sure we’ll see plenty of new faces on the start line in Sydney in May.”

Entries for Runaway Sydney will be opening soon, with the streets of Sydney to welcome runners back for either the half marathon or 10km event on Sunday 21 May.