Marathon test for Melbourne’s pothole issues
By Mitchell Davis.
The 2026 Melbourne Marathon is set to take place this weekend.
The 48th running of the event features a redesigned course that removes a section of the route through the pathways of Royal Botanic Gardens, resulting in runners spending more time on Melbourne’s public roads.
Victoria’s roads have been under media scrutiny in the lead up to the state election in November, with road quality and pothole repair infrastructure being a major point of discussion.
Former half-marathon competitor Sofie Trajanovski says that injury risks from any pre-existing road issues are more likely to be amplified due to the chaotic nature of the race start.
“When you’re at the start line, the air is filled with a mix of nervous energy. You’ve got thousands of runners around you, and if they’re not used to running on anything other than the standard footpath, you get a loose bit of gravel or trail sections… that’s a bit of a problem.”
“Generally speaking, I haven’t encountered a lot of potholes while out running but I definitely see a lot of potholes and rough surfaces around where I live, because I also ride my bike to and from work, so I’m constantly looking at the state of our roads and they’re terrible.”
Cross country athlete Morgan Faulkner has said her experiences in road racing make older or worn surfaces such as public roads less desirable to run on; newer bitumen is better for competitive times due to the closer comparison it provides to a proper track surface.
For the Marathon, the course surface will range from Formula One-grade asphalt around Lakeside Drive, to aged, high-density roads such as along Marine Parade, and along a recently repaved Flinders Street.
The course change was intended to help create an easier running experience for competitive frontrunners to help achieve record times.
Comments