The Melbourne Marathon is fast, flat and finishes on the MCG, which makes it a PB course and a classic place to run the first half on adrenaline. Flat courses do not reduce carbohydrate cost, they simply let you spend it earlier, and the deficit shows up somewhere after 30km.
October in Melbourne is also unpredictable. You can start in single digits and finish in a warm northerly, so a fuelling plan built only around the forecast at 7am is a plan with a hole in it. Carry the sodium you would need if it warms up.
What the race demands
Course
Flat and fast, finishing inside the MCG
Season
Mid October, cool start with variable warming
Main risk
Fast early kilometres burning carbohydrate ahead of plan
Second risk
Weather swinging warm mid-race and lifting sweat losses
Course notes
- Starts on Batman Avenue and finishes inside the MCG. The race is held in October.
- The 2026 course runs in reverse towards Beach Road and removes the Birdwood Avenue to Domain Road climb at 36km. Organisers say elevation gain drops by up to 20%.
- Aid stations are about 2 to 3km apart early, with wider gaps through the middle kilometres. Gels are offered at selected stations only.
Source: Nike Melbourne Marathon: course and race day. Courses and dates can change each year, so check the official athlete guide before race day.
Carbohydrate and sodium targets
- Sub-3:00: 70 to 90g of carbohydrate per hour from a dual-carb source
- 3:00 to 4:00: 50 to 75g of carbohydrate per hour
- 4:00 to 5:00: 40 to 60g of carbohydrate per hour
- Sodium: 300 to 800mg per hour depending on your measured sweat rate
HYDRAX CORE delivers 85g of dual-carb fuel and 980mg of sodium per serve, so hitting the numbers above is arithmetic rather than guesswork. HYDRAX PRIMER covers the pre-race window with 29g of carbohydrate and 1,313mg of sodium. Run the free fuelling strategy tool to convert these ranges into your own per-hour numbers.
Rehearse the plan in training, then race it. Order now, ships Australia-wide.
Race week and race day timeline
2 to 3 days out
Carb load toward 8 to 10g per kg per day and cut fibre volume in the final 24 hours.
Race morning, 3 hours out
Familiar carbohydrate breakfast, 1 to 2g per kg. Nothing new on race day.
20 to 30 minutes out
One serve of PRIMER: 29g of dual-carb fuel and 1,313mg of sodium before the gun.
From 30 minutes in
Start CORE at your target rate. Small regular intakes, not one big hit at 30km.
Final 10km
Keep fuelling into the MCG. The last 10km of a flat course is where the early pace gets audited.
Frequently asked questions
How should I fuel the Melbourne Marathon?
Carb load in the 48 hours before, eat a familiar carbohydrate breakfast around 3 hours out, take a pre-race serve 20 to 30 minutes before the start, then fuel from the 30-minute mark at 40 to 90g of carbohydrate per hour depending on your finish time, with 300 to 800mg of sodium per hour.
What is the weather like for the Melbourne Marathon?
Mid October in Melbourne is variable. Cool starts are common but the temperature can climb through the second half, so plan sodium and fluid for a warmer race than the start line suggests.
How many carbs per hour for a sub-3 marathon?
Most sub-3 runners tolerate 70 to 90g of carbohydrate per hour from a dual-carb source, provided the gut has been trained for it in long runs. Rehearse the rate before racing it.
Should I use a drink mix or gels at Melbourne?
A dilute dual-carb drink mix delivers carbohydrate and sodium together and generally sits better than a run of gels. Many runners use the drink mix as the base and add a gel only where aid station spacing makes it convenient.
Keep reading
- Marathon fuelling strategy
- Carbs per hour for a marathon
- Carb loading for race day
- Running pace calculator
- Measure your sweat rate
- Shop the HYDRAX kit
Disclaimer: This page is general information for healthy adult athletes and is not medical, dietetic or coaching advice. Individual carbohydrate, fluid and sodium requirements vary with body weight, sweat rate, conditions and health status. Speak with your doctor, sports physician or an accredited sports dietitian before changing your nutrition or supplement routine, rehearse any fuelling plan in training before race day, and always follow the directions and warnings on the product label.