How I Smashed The Great Ocean Road Half Marathon
The Great Ocean Road Running Festival — There’s a run for everyone!
The Great Ocean Road is a 240-kilometre stretch of road that hugs the coastline from Torquay to Allansford in Victoria, Australia.
The slow, windy roads run along cliff tops, giving spectacular views of the ocean. It’s a gateway to beautiful rainforests and is home to one of Australia’s biggest running events — The Great Ocean Road Running Festival.
There are events for all runners, including a marathon, ultras, trail runs, walks, and a 1.5k kids’ run.
My friend Julie and I signed up for the half marathon — it’s 23k so technically longer than a half.
On day one of the festival we had lunch in Apollo Bay, the sun was out and the place was packed with runners, friends, and family. Julie’s kids did the 1.5k and were stoked to show off their medals.
Our accommodations were eco-cabins in the nearby Otway ranges, a beautiful bushy park, and walking distance to beaches. And plenty of wildlife — noisy cockatoos and parrots, kookaburras, kangaroos, and deer. I saw three koalas moving about in the trees from our cabin balcony!
Our run was an early start with the bus leaving Apollo Bay at 5.45 am to take us to…
