Gold Coast runners turn out for inaugural T100 10km
Almost 2,500 runners joined the first Gold Coast T100 10km, with elite names and locals lighting up the course.
What’s happening?
The inaugural T100 10km fun run was held on the Gold Coast on Sunday morning, drawing a mix of elite competitors, local athletes and everyday participants.
The event formed part of the Gold Coast T100 Triathlon weekend and gave runners the chance to race along the esplanade at Surfers Paradise before finishing under the Surfers Paradise arches.
Several high-profile names joined the field, including John Reed, Matt Hauser, Alex Yee, Alexandra Lyndon, Liz Cantor and Ji Wallace.
Why it matters?
The new event gave the Gold Coast another major participation run and brought a broad mix of people onto the course, from world-class triathletes to locals taking on personal goals.
It also placed running alongside triathlon in a public setting that highlighted the city’s endurance sports culture.
Alex Yee said that was part of what made the event special.
“It was fun. I just came to pace some friends, so it was nice to get involved with a good Gold Coast event.
“It was nice to feel the energy and get involved. With running events, you get all kinds of ages and everything. It’s great, and what a privilege.”
Matt Hauser said the course and setting gave the event a strong local feel.
“It’s awesome just to have the esplanade here at Surfers and to be able to finish under the Surfers Paradise arches, is pretty special.
“I don’t think many events get to close down this part of the world too often, so to have triathlon at the forefront of Gold Coast endurance and running culture as well is super exciting and hopefully for many more years to come ahead of Brisbane 2032.”
Local impact
The event had a clear Gold Coast presence, both on the start line and along the course.
Hauser is based on the Gold Coast. Lyndon is a Gold Coast mother of two. Ji Wallace is a Gold Coast local. The course itself also showcased one of the city’s best-known stretches.
Lyndon said racing in familiar surroundings added to the day.
“It was so nice to race along here. This is where we train, it’s our stomping ground. The atmosphere was great, and everyone was excited. I think it’s a fantastic thing to put an event on before the T100 triathlon. I think that’s so clever.”
Liz Cantor also spoke about the experience of running through the city.
“Well, I’m very, very happy because I have none of the gear and none of the ideas but I made it across the finish line in an hour.. just!
“The atmosphere was fantastic - so many smiles, so many waves. You’re looking at the Surfers Paradise skyline, the ocean and Sea World as you’re running. It’s just so beautiful... it’s like running in a dream.”
Ji Wallace praised both the course and the support around it.
“So the event here on the Gold Coast is brilliantly run. The weather is spectacular, the course is just amazing and the vibe at the start was awesome. And all the way through, the volunteers were fantastic. Wonderful. So it’s just a wonderful event, and everybody should be down here.”
By the numbers
Almost 2,500 runners took part in the inaugural T100 10km fun run on Sunday morning, giving the event a strong first turnout.
John Reed won the men’s race in 28 minutes and 36 seconds, ahead of Gold Coast athletics talent Dezmond Cutter in 30:37 and Brisbane runner Kieran Perkins in 30:41.
Alexandra Lyndon won the women’s race in 33:28 in her first-ever 10km race, with Rhiannon Northcott second in 34:38 and Sarah Short third in 35:31.
Cutter, 22, recently won the Queensland 3,000m title and is preparing for the Australian Championships and Commonwealth Games Trials over 1500m next month.
Lyndon has been training for five months after being invited to join a running group, following her return to running after having two children, ages 18 months and 5 years.
Zoom In
John Reed said the race was a new test for him outside of triathlon.
“I’ve never raced a 10km, I’ve never raced a running race before other than just in a triathlon. It was really fun.
“I do a lot of training like that at home, so it wasn’t too unfamiliar territory for me.
“I kind of looked at what was on the calendar around me and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to test the legs.
“I was hoping a couple of big names would also be out here. Unfortunately, I think they had some illness or something, which is a bummer, but I still wanted to give it a crack.”
He also said the early-morning atmosphere stood out.
“It was a lot of fun. It’s pretty nuts how active people get out here so early. I mean 6am is a pretty early start and to have people lined up at cafes and all this stuff down the whole run was pretty sick.
“It’s just such a great atmosphere and the people are awesome and it’s good culture. So I really like it.”
Matt Hauser said illness changed his original plan for the race.
“I wanted to run a fast 10km and then a few days ago I pulled up a bit sick with a cough and a sore throat so I thought I’d just take it easy.
“I’ve got a few big competitions coming up so I wanted to pace my fiance, Georgia, along with Alex Yee. He’s a good mate of mine and it’s good to have him training on the Gold Coast as well.
“It’s not often we get a chance to run and race with each other, so it was really nice moment for us and it’s nice to take a step back and let my competitive juices drain away and just be out there for the fun of it.”
Alex Yee said he was pleased to be part of the event during his training camp.
“Just for one more week and then I’m home. So yeah, nice to be down on the Gold Coast for a couple of weeks, but I’ve got to go back to reality and back to the UK. So that’s good.”
Alexandra Lyndon said the win marked an exciting first step over the distance.
“That is the first 10km race that I’ve done, so I’m really happy. I only started running with Kyle Weese and his great squad at Main Beach about five months ago. So I’m so excited to see what we can do in the next race. I’ve returned to running. I’ve got a surf lifesaving background, competing in Iron Woman.”
She said returning to structured training after having children made the moment even more meaningful.
“I’ve had two kids. I’ve got an 18-month-old and a five-year-old and I gave it a year of just training by myself. I was invited along to train a few months back ad the rest is history so today was my first one (10km). It’s so nice to turn up to an event on the Gold Coast.”
Liz Cantor said her run was inspired by the loss of her mother.
“I’m not a runner but my mum was a runner and I lost her last year, so I wanted to start running just to kind of feel what made her happy. And I got Toto my trainer to come along and friend Nina who carried me the whole way through.
“My plan was to sit with Toto and ignore the pain …it all came down to the people I was with.”
Ji Wallace said taking part was tied to a personal challenge.
“Running is not my regular exercise, but I’ve been through ups and downs over the last few years, and this was my challenge to get myself back on track and back chasing goals and dreams.
“So this was actually the launch pad. All I wanted to do was really just make it all the way through, I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to do it in an hour, and I did it in an hour and two.
“I couldn’t even walk at the beginning of the week without pain. I told myself if I could get through it with a minimal amount of pain, then that’s going to be a win. But that actually means that I can pretty much do anything, and then by extension, anybody can do anything.
“It’s really up to your brain because your body will follow.”
Zoom Out
The Gold Coast T100 Triathlon is part of Event Management Queensland’s expanding portfolio of major sporting events.
It is also supported by Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism & Events Queensland.
That support places the event within a broader push to grow major sporting events on the Gold Coast.
What to look for next?
The strong turnout for the first T100 10km has given the event a solid start on the Gold Coast.
With elite athletes, local runners and community participants all part of the morning, the debut run has already shown its place within the wider Gold Coast T100 program.
Its first edition also set a clear benchmark for future years, especially with strong support for the course, the atmosphere and the event format.