Wow. Gold Coast Marathon.

RUNLY NEWSLETTER #118
Thurs July 10th 2025

I am writing this from my studio in Melbourne - coffee in hand, and back after an epic week at the Gold Coast Marathon.

I thought about how I would even start this recap. It could go a numbers of ways.

I could start off with numerous stories about how things went wrong.

I could start with a story about some (legendary) people that went out of their way to help me.

Perhaps I could start with something emotional about how proud I am.

All three would be valid, because that week had it all.

But instead, I'll start with the runners.

Because at the end of the day, as much as this newsletter is about the BTS of Runly, and insights into what it's like running a running brand, it's about the runners.

When you go to an event, any event, whether there's 100 people, or 50,000, you can't help but feel drawn in to the atmosphere.

Every runner there had their own story of getting to the start line. Adversity, injury and setbacks.

No journey to a start line is without some kind of adversity, it just doesn't exist.

So I couldn't help but feed off the stories of the many hundreds of runners that I met across that week.

The energy is contagious and putting aside anything at all to do with Runly, I felt really proud to be part of such a huge inclusive community of people who are there to do themselves proud.

It's been an awful time for me as a runner in the last two years, with a chronic knee injury.

I've had so many scans, ops, consultations, physio treatment blocks, strength training blocks and I'm still yet to find a solution.

But events like this make me more determined than ever to get a start line again.

It may not be the 100km ultra that stares me in the face on my bucket list, it may not even be a marathon, or half for that matter.

Even getting to the start line for a 5k'er would be a huge achievement from the physical adversity that I've endured over the last couple of years.

But it will happen, I'm sure. And the story will be a good one.

For now, the runners that took part in the GCM filled me with enthusiasm for the sport, which I've never lost mind you.

I met many, many people during that week.

I met people who are running their first race after recovering from heart surgery.

I met two people that were there to run with their friend who had overcome cancer and was determined to cross the finish line of the 10k'er.

It is absolutely stories like these that fill my cup and inject energy into me, for what is a really gruelling week.

I would never, ever take anything away from the champions that got themselves to that start line up on the Gold Coast.

But as my friend Ange from Start Up and Running podcast said to me, 'you've run a different kind of marathon this week'.

When I sent this newsletter out last week, it was a reflection on the bump-in day at Gold Coast.

It was hard, long, eventful and very stressful.

When I got back to my apartment, I was completely knocked around, and to be honest, I wasn't sure how I was going to spend the next 3 days on my feet with 12 hour days.

But it was the energy of the running community that got me up each day.

It was an experience that I won't forget, a moment of pride to be setup amongst the giants of the sports & running world.

Gold Coast Mara is organised by the same people who run Sydney Mara.

The day after the event I sent an email to the head of the event to thank them for putting on such an incredible event, and that I'm looking forward to Sydney.

Pleasantries aside, it was the quote 'Sydney - it's going to be a lot bigger!!' that took me out of the Gold Coast bubble, and quickly into planning for Sydney with just 6 weeks to go.

I can't wait.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for being on this wild journey with me.

Run well,
Robbie