COURSE INFO & MAPS

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is the responsibility of the participant to know the correct start time for their chosen event.

MARATHON, HALF MARATHON & QUARTER MARATHON

Course Distances

Course Distance Markers

Kilometre marks will be provided for the Marathon, Half Marathon, and the Quarter Marathon events. For the Marathon and Half Marathon these kilometre markers will be located on lamp posts approx. 2m off the ground along the course.

Measured Course

The Marathon course is measured in accordance with IAAF guidelines. In summary, the course is accurate and times can be used for example as Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games qualifiers. The adidas Auckland Marathon is an AIMS member.

2013 Proposed Course Change Announcement

The adidas Auckland Marathon confirmed on the 28 March 2013 it is working on a proposed course change for the 2013 event that will further enhance the world renowned beauty and scenic reputation of its course, as well as adding to the enjoyment of participants in the Marathon and Half Marathon events.Subject to all relevant authorities’ approvals, the course change will take in the majestic views of Auckland City from the Southbound lanes of the Northern Busway from Smales Farm bus station right through to, and over the Southbound extension lanes of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, off at Shelly Beach Road connecting up to Sarsfield St and continuing along the current course down Curran St and around Westhaven Drive.Should the proposed course change not be viable, for whatever reason, then the race course used in 2012, and previous years, will be used for the 2013 event.

Course Changes

All event courses are subject to change until confirmed by end of September.

In the event of adverse weather or any other consideration or matter causing the Auckland Harbour Bridge or any other part of the course to be closed to participants prior to 5:00am on race day, where possible an alternative course will be provided for the Marathon and Half Marathon starting and finishing at Victoria Park.

Any course change will be advised where possible on More FM - 91.8FM, Radio Live - 100.6FM, The Edge - 94.2FM, Solid Gold - 93.8FM, KiwiFM - 102.2FM and Newstalk ZB - 89.4FM from 5:00am. Please see the bottom of this page for contingency course, info & details. If, in the opinion of the Race organisers an alternative course cannot be implemented then the event will be cancelled and entry fees are non-refundable.

Please note: All Full Marathon participants - there will be two lanes available along Tamaki Drive. Please use the seaside lane heading out and inland lane heading back to complete the course correctly.

Road Closures and Parking Restrictions

All road closures and parking restriction information will be available early October.

Support Stations

There are 6 Support Stations, including the one at the Start for the Half Marathon and at the Finish and 12km for the Marathon. Support Stations will be located at approximately 4km intervals along the route. Each Support Station will include a minimum of water, Portaloos and minor first aid support.

2012 Course Details

The street locations of the Support Stations are as follows:

Marathon / Half Marathon

1. Marathon & Half Marathon Start venue – Devonport (water only)
2. 4km Winscombe St (will also include Powerade)
3. 8km Taharoto Rd (will also include Powerade)
4. 11.5km Lake Rd, Northcote (will also include Powerade)
5. 16km Curran Street (will also include Powerade)
6. 22km Quay Street between Tinley Street & Plumey Streets (will also include Powerade, Coke)
7. 26km Tamaki Drive, Okahu Bay (will also include Powerade, Coke)
8. 29km Tamaki Drive, Mission Bay (will also include Powerade, Coke)
9. 32km Tamaki Drive, Mission Bay (will also include Powerade, Coke)
10. 35km Tamaki Drive, Okahu Bay (will also include Powerade, Coke)
11. 39km Quay Street between Tinley Street & Plumer Streets (will also include Powerade, Coke)
12. Finish Venue, Victoria Park, Auckland City. (Powerade,)

Marathon and Half Marathon Street-by-Street Description

Overview
The adidas Auckland Marathon course runs from Devonport on Auckland's North Shore, around the shopping district of North Shore City, and then crosses the northern motorway before turning south to the Harbour Bridge. After crossing the Bridge, the course takes in Westhaven Marina, the Viaduct Harbour (the halfway mark), before heading out along Auckland City's waterfront. This section of the course is an out and back, with the turn point being in St Helier's Bay. The return leg follows the same course back to the Viaduct Harbour for a finish at Victoria Park.

The first half of the course is best described as "rolling" while the second half, other than two road bridges, is flat.

• The start is on King Edward Parade in Devonport, overlooking the Waitemata Harbour and the second half of the course on the far shore.
• From the start there is a short run to the first turn at Church Street. Turning left into Church Street the course begins to climb before veering right into Vauxhall Road.
• The course undulates along Vauxhall Road, dipping slightly at Tainui Road, before climbing to a high point outside the Naval Base at North Head.
• The course then descends to Narrow Neck Beach.
• Vauxhall Road turns into Old Lake Road as the course climbs out of Narrow Neck Beach.
• Turning right into Hamana Street, the course continues to climb briefly before leveling out and continuing into Seacliffe Avenue.
• A hard left into Winscombe Street and the course begins to descend to Lake Road past the first aid station (approx 4km mark) in the bus stop above the Belmont School playing fields.
• The right hand turn into Lake Road marks a change from a full road closure to a coned running lane to the right of the roadway.
• Lake Road continues to dip before climbing and leveling out around Clifton Road.
• From Hauraki Corner (cnr Hauraki, Jutland, and Lake Roads) Lake Road gradually descends to North Shore City.
• The course turns left into Bracken Road and then right into Burns Avenue and undulates along behind the fringes of North Shore City.
• A slight climb and a left turn brings the course onto Anzac Avenue. It is, more or less, a flat run along Anzac Avenue and Taharoto Road past the second aid station (approx 8km) before turning left onto Northcote Road.
• Northcote Road dips before rising to cross the Northern Motorway. From the overbridge, Northcote Road is a flat run to the left turn into Lake Road. The 10km mark is on Lake Road.
• Lake Road starts flat before rising to Exmouth Road, descending and then rising, past the third aid station at around 11.5km, to Onewa Road.
• The course turns left onto Onewa Road and then, almost immediately, right onto Queen Street.
• Queen Street dips before rising to the left hand turn into Stafford Street.
• Stafford Street marks the rapid descent to the Harbour Bridge approach.
• At the bottom of Stafford Street, the course turns onto the Northern Motorway and follows the right-hand-most lane up and over the Bridge. The bridge is 1,021 metres long and, from the approaches, is a climb of 33 metres to the crest.
• At the southern end of the Bridge, the course veers right onto the Curran Street on-ramp before levelling out and then climbing to a left hand turn from Curran Street onto Sarsfield Street.
• The course runs along the northern side of Sarsfield Street to a turn point at its eastern end.
• This turn point marks the Start of the 5km Challenge which follows the same course as the Half marathon to the Finish in Fanshawe Street.
• From the turn at just over 16km, the course heads back along Sarsfield Street before turning back onto Curran Street and descending past the next aid station, to Westhaven Drive for a flat run along the Westhaven Mariner.
• From Westhaven, the course turns left into Beaumont Street, onto Hamer Street, around the Tank Farm into Brigham Street.
• From Brigham Street, the course turns left into Jellicoe Street and then into Halsey Street – for the half marathoners it is now almost a straight run home.
• The Marathon course turns left into Viaduct Harbour Avenue while the Half marathoners continue on to Fanshawe Street, turning right for the sprint to the finish.
• At the corner of Halsey St and Gaunt St marks the Start of the Quarter Marathon
• The Marathon follows Viaduct Harbour Avenue through to and turns left onto Custom Street West.
• From Custom Street, the course turns left into Lower Hobson before turning right into Quay Street and beginning the run out along Auckland's waterfront.
• This half of the course is more or less flat. The only two 'hills' in this section are a rail over-bridge at the intersection of Quay, The Strand, and Tamaki Drive, and a bridge just prior to Ngapipi Road.
• The turnaround point for the Quarter Marathon is just past the Ngapipi Road intersection. The Quarter Marathon then follows the same course back to Halsey St where it turns left and then right into Fanshawe Street to the Finish.
• The support stations are at Quay Street between Tinley Street & Plumer Streets (22 and 39km), Okahu Bay (26 and 35km) and Mission Bay (29 and 32km). The course follows the coned lane out to the St Heliers Bay turn, at around 31.5km.
• From the turn, it's the same course in reverse – back along the bays to Central City, Quay Street, left into Lower Hobson, right into Custom, right into Viaduct Harbour, left into Halsey Street, and then right into Fanshawe Street for the run to the finish.

Auckland Harbour Bridge

The Auckland Harbour Bridge will remain open to traffic at the same time as participants will be crossing the bridge. Only the Western/Right Hand "Clip-on Lanes" have been reserved for the event and will be closed to traffic. You must obey all Marshall's and/or Police instructions at all times.

Participants must at all times remain in the outside Lane. Under no circumstances are runners allowed to run in the adjoining/left hand lane. This lane will be reserved for emergency and bridge services only.

Any participant who continues to run in this left hand/Emergency Lane will be disqualified.

All participants must be off the bridge by 9.20am. A following vehicle will collect any participants from the bridge at this time and transport them on to Curran St.

Quarter Marathon Street-by-Street Description

The start line is located in Gaunt Street at the Western end of the Viaduct Harbour area, and takes in 5.2km of the Marathon course to just past the Ngapipi Road intersection before returning along the same course to the finish line in Fanshawe Street, located in Auckland City.

There will be a 10km marker on the course for those participants wishing to time their 10km time. 

NOTE: Quarter Marathon does not cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge

Heart Foundation 5km Challenge Street-by-Street Description

The 5km Challenge will start at 9:45 am in Sarsfield Street, joining the Half Marathon course for the last 5kms to the finish line in Fanshawe Street next to Victoria Park. Buses will transport walkers and runners from Victoria Park to an assembly area in Point Erin Park prior to the start. The buses will depart from Victoria St, Victoria Park Markets from 8:30am with the last bus departing no later than 9.20am.

Single baby buggies only (not double or triple) will be allowed in the 5km Walk Event ONLY. The occupant of the baby buggy cannot walk in the event and will not be charged an entry fee. Wheelchairs, baby buggies (subject to above), dogs and cyclists are NOT PERMITTED in any of the events.

KIDS MARATHON

The KIDS MARATHON (2.195km) will start at 10.45am in Beaumont Street. To view the KIDS MARATHON event information, click here.

Contingency Plan - Bridge Closure

In the event that the Auckland Harbour Bridge is closed for the running of the adidas Auckland Marathon or Half Marathon or some other unforeseen event or matter requires a change to the course or event, or the cancellation or cessation (i.e. stopping) of the event, the Race Organising Committee will adopt the following procedures to provide an alternative course, where possible, for the event, or, alternatively upon cancellation or cessation, assist participants to be returned to Victoria Park.

The trigger for implementing one of the two contingency plans will be:

1. The Race Director being advised by the relevant authorities that the weather conditions or some other factor or matter makes it unsafe for runners to cross the Harbour Bridge. This decision will be made around 4:00am on Event Day. In the event of this scenario then the Contingency course will be implemented
2. Events or circumstances that lead to the closure of the bridge to participants after 5:00am on Event Day or some other event or matter that closes all or part of the course. In the event of this scenario it will necessitate the cancellation or cessation of the marathon and half marathon events

Contingency Plan 1: Bridge Closure before 5.00am - alternative course

1. Fuller's Ferries notified that they are not to transport participants from Auckland to Devonport
2. Participants waiting at the ferries to be advised to go to Victoria Park
3. Ritchies Buses will be advised to transport all runners to Victoria Park
4. Participants waiting at the start and arriving at the start to be advised to go to Victoria Park
5. Radio stations notified to broadcast prepared announcement regarding the move to the contingency course. Stations to tune in to are:
   
   - More FM - 91.8FM
   - Radio Live - 100.6FM 
   - The Edge - 94.2FM 
   - Solid Gold - 93.8FM 
   - KiwiFM - 102.2FM 
   - NewsTalkZB - 89.4FM
6. An "All Participants" briefing to be held at Victoria Park at 6:00am and again at 6:30am
7. At 6:30am the Course Director will confirm with Transfield Services and Police that the contingency course is fully implemented
8. The Race Director will, on confirmation that the course is ready, confirm start times for the Marathon, Half Marathon, Quarter Marathon, and 5km Challenge events

The Contingency Course

The contingency course will, more or less, follow the planned second half of the Marathon course with the exception of the following changes:

• The Start for all events will be on Gaunt Street between Halsey and Beaumont Streets.
• The Start will be broken into 3 waves, the Quarter Marathon event, the 5km Challenge event and all other events. The 5km Challenge event start will be as originally scheduled (9:45am). The first wave will start no later than 7:00am and be for all half and full marathon participants. The Quarter Marathon event will start approximately 15min later.
• The Marathon event will follow the second half of the original Marathon course out to the St Heliers turn around and return to a turn point on Customs St West then head back out to St Heliers before returning to the finish on Fanshawe Street.
• The Half Marathon event will follow the Marathon course out to the St Heliers turn around and return to the finish on Fanshawe Street.
• There is no change to the Quarter Marathon event.
• The 5km Challenge event will also follow the water front course to a turn at around Tinley Street.

Note: The fact that all events are on the same course will require marshals to ensure that the slower participants do not unreasonably impede the faster runners that will invariably be coming through. Slower participants should obey marshals instructions at all times.

Contingency Plan 2: Notice of Bridge Closure or other event after 5.00am - Partial Cancellation of event

1. Notify Fuller's ferries:
   
   - To Stop further sailing (if early enough) or; 
   - That ferries maybe required to transport participants from Devonport to Auckland or, possibly, Fisherman's Wharf to Auckland
2. Participants waiting at the ferries to be advised to go to Victoria Park
3. Ritchies Buses will be advised to transport all runners to Victoria Park
4. Participants waiting at the start and to be advised to go to Victoria Park
5. Notify radio stations to broadcast prepared announcement regarding the move to the contingency course. The stations to tune in to are:
   
   - MoreFM - 91.8FM 
   - Radio Live - 100.6FM 
   - The Edge - 94.2FM 
   - Solid Gold - 93.8FM 
   - KiwiFM - 102.2FM 
   - NewsTalkZB - 89.4FM
6. Stafford Road course personnel advised to hold all runners in adjacent park pending announcement from Race Director (if closure occurs after scheduled start of the Event)
7. A "Participants" briefing to be held at Stafford Road Park at 7:30am and again at 8:30am (if closure occurs after scheduled start of the Event), or at Victoria Park if closure occurs before scheduled start of the Event
8. In the event of Bridge closure only, the Quarter Marathon and 5km Challenge events will start on schedule