2. Gold Coast Airport Marathon

The Buzz -- On the run since 1979, this annual event attracts over 16,000 runners keen to test their mettle on a course known for being fast and flat – and just over 42 kilometers long. There are half-marathons, a 7.5km 'walk', a 'junior dash' and multiple age categories from 5 years to 90 plus. Eighteen is the minimum age for the full marathon event. All events begin and end in Southport, with the full marathon running through Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach to Miami and along the Broadwater and Pacific Ocean, ending where it all began in Southport.