Run for the Young is a community marathon in Melbourne's outer east, held on 29 November 2026 for its 13th year. Starting at Mount Lilydale Mercy College in Lilydale, the courses run largely along the crushed-gravel Warburton Rail Trail through the Yarra Valley, with a full marathon, half marathon, 10km, 5km and a 2.5km kids' run.
It is hosted by the Bridge Builders Youth Charity and run by young people for young people, with 100% of proceeds going to youth programs. The event has a strong environmental streak too, running plastic-free drink stations along the trail. Despite its grassroots feel, it draws a genuinely international field and quick times, with the marathon record sitting at 2:29.
Flat and scenic on the rail trail, it is a friendly, feel-good option for a late-spring marathon or a family morning out.
Fergus Hill won the 2025 Run for the Young marathon in 2:48:45 on Sunday 23 November, 28 seconds ahead of Ky Harris after 42.2km on the Warburton Rail Trail. Rhiannon Snipe was first woman home in 3:09:00, ninth overall in a field of 264 marathon finishers.
| Position | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fergus HILL | 02:48:45 |
| 2 | Ky HARRIS | 02:49:13 |
| 3 | Stephen COULTER | 02:52:40 |
| 4 | Inigo GEORGE | 02:54:39 |
| 5 | Markus BUCKLEY | 02:58:58 |
| 6 | Rafael RUBIO | 03:03:22 |
| 7 | Thomas HINDS | 03:07:07 |
| 8 | Jarrod MULLAVEY | 03:08:53 |
| 9 | Rhiannon SNIPE | 03:09:00 |
| 10 | Patrick OCONNOR | 03:10:13 |
| 11 | Elliott COX | 03:12:20 |
| 12 | Nelson BOWEY | 03:12:40 |
| 13 | Shunnai ZHAO | 03:15:00 |
| 14 | Harrison DAVID | 03:15:03 |
| 15 | Nathan BAYNE | 03:16:34 |
| 16 | Chris MCTAGGART | 03:17:21 |
| 17 | Zak SARTORE | 03:17:34 |
| 18 | William MITCHELL | 03:19:44 |
| 19 | Issei KAJIHARA | 03:19:53 |
| 20 | Kate KRUGER | 03:20:08 |
| 21 | Travis BAIL | 03:21:01 |
| 22 | Vinny GRANTHAM-SMITH | 03:21:07 |
| 23 | Yani CORNTHWAITE | 03:22:08 |
| 24 | Catherine ELLIOTT | 03:22:54 |
| 25 | Nick MENDE | 03:23:11 |
| 26 | Henry STAINDL-DYMOND | 03:23:59 |
| 27 | Jack WOOD | 03:24:04 |
| 28 | Gareth JENKINS | 03:24:08 |
| 29 | Genesis BUCHANAN | 03:25:37 |
| 30 | David LAW | 03:27:04 |
| 31 | Clarke BULL | 03:28:31 |
| 32 | Steven LIGHTOWLER | 03:28:38 |
| 33 | Jarrod SHAW | 03:28:43 |
| 34 | Jake HALLEY | 03:28:44 |
| 35 | Enda CASSIDY | 03:29:10 |
| 36 | Shane MALLIA | 03:29:23 |
| 37 | Jack IATROU | 03:29:42 |
| 38 | Jinxia CHENG | 03:30:10 |
| 39 | Trevor GOW | 03:30:43 |
| 40 | Matthew GAMBLE | 03:33:19 |
| 41 | Connor KENNEDY | 03:33:32 |
| 42 | Stelios TSOKAS | 03:33:36 |
| 43 | Stephen CLARKE | 03:33:39 |
| 44 | Joachim DIERCKENS | 03:35:10 |
| 45 | Nathan TRIPODI | 03:36:11 |
| 46 | Tobie GOODYEAR | 03:36:21 |
| 47 | Aaron TURNER | 03:36:30 |
| 48 | Gatsby FITZGERALD | 03:37:58 |
| 49 | Jamie GOODHEAD | 03:38:10 |
| 50 | Lloyd AUKSTIN | 03:38:39 |
Timing by Tomato Timing: complete 2025 Run for the Young results, all distances.
Daniel Ebbott ran away with the 2024 Run for the Young marathon, winning in 2:35:19 on Sunday 24 November and finishing almost 28 minutes ahead of Olie Huf. Stephen Coulter took third in 3:05:44, a place he would repeat a year later thirteen minutes quicker. Chelsea Dyer was first woman home in 3:30:55, 24th overall in a field of 239 marathon finishers.
| Position | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel EBBOTT | 02:35:19 |
| 2 | Olie HUF | 03:03:04 |
| 3 | Stephen COULTER | 03:05:44 |
| 4 | Adam BATTYE | 03:09:10 |
| 5 | Henry STAINDL-DYMOND | 03:12:24 |
| 6 | James VINCE | 03:12:29 |
| 7 | Gregory BRAMICH | 03:15:36 |
| 8 | Michael SILLEKENS | 03:19:17 |
| 9 | Scott EBBOTT | 03:22:45 |
| 10 | Riley STEDING | 03:25:40 |
| 11 | George COE | 03:25:44 |
| 12 | Mark ALEXANDER | 03:25:56 |
| 13 | Isaac TAYLOR | 03:26:55 |
| 14 | Leigh OBRADOVIC | 03:26:59 |
| 15 | Adam BROTCHIE | 03:27:28 |
| 16 | Oli EINSIEDEL | 03:27:50 |
| 17 | Jack PAYNTER | 03:27:58 |
| 18 | Daniel HANNINGTON-PINTO | 03:28:16 |
| 19 | Steven LIGHTOWLER | 03:28:45 |
| 20 | Rodger STUDD | 03:29:56 |
| 21 | Shane MALLIA | 03:29:58 |
| 22 | Mondo HAYS | 03:30:30 |
| 23 | Dennis DAY | 03:30:51 |
| 24 | Chelsea DYER | 03:30:55 |
| 25 | Vincent LIM | 03:32:06 |
| 26 | Will PEART | 03:33:57 |
| 27 | Micheal PEART | 03:33:58 |
| 28 | Ben REID | 03:37:44 |
| 29 | Trent ASHTON | 03:38:08 |
| 30 | Alexander CHAMPION DE CRESPIGNY | 03:39:01 |
| 31 | Jamie GOODHEAD | 03:39:36 |
| 32 | Justin BYRNE | 03:39:57 |
| 33 | Emile PAVLICH | 03:40:28 |
| 34 | Bailey GRANT | 03:41:28 |
| 35 | Adam KING | 03:41:53 |
| 36 | Chris PERKINS | 03:43:35 |
| 37 | Mitch CURETON | 03:44:11 |
| 38 | Katrina SOUTHURST | 03:44:14 |
| 39 | Michael YEW | 03:44:37 |
| 40 | Lawrence BARNES | 03:44:38 |
| 41 | Jake JEFFREY | 03:44:52 |
| 42 | William RAYNER | 03:44:53 |
| 43 | Blake MARTIN | 03:45:13 |
| 44 | Hamish BLAIR | 03:45:14 |
| 45 | Jett KNUR | 03:45:46 |
| 46 | Liam MCINTYRE | 03:45:59 |
| 47 | Matt CALLAGHAN | 03:46:32 |
| 48 | Jiajun QIN | 03:46:42 |
| 49 | Michael ANGIOLELLA | 03:46:49 |
| 50 | Candela FERREYRA BAS | 03:46:49 |
Timing by Tomato Timing: complete 2024 Run for the Young results, all distances.
