Australia’s latest travel trend is turning running shoes into boarding passes. Welcome to the age of the ‘race-cation’, where instead of booking trips around wine tours or coastlines, holidays are instead being planned around finish lines.
According to research from YouGov, 70 per cent of Aussies say they would travel domestically this year to either spectate or compete in a sporting event. Skyscanner predicts one in two have planned, or are looking to plan, a holiday around ‘run travel’ and the trend doesn’t look like it’s cooling off any time soon.
Millennials, the generation with Big Hobby Energy, are leading the trend, with 78 per cent having already travelled for sport in the last six months. Even Gen Z, known for rejecting anything that requires effort at the risk of looking cringe, are getting behind it and are switching big nights out for big performances at the finish line.
Aussies are making the race-cation a major experience, from flying to the US to run in the New York Marathon to taking part in smaller-scale events and exploring pristine regional areas around the country. The ‘sports-tripping’ experience can be done in many ways, but for runners, there’s one event that’s quietly become a national pilgrimage, and that’s the Nike Melbourne Marathon.
Held each October, it’s evolved from a ‘hardcore runner’s event’ into something more like a citywide celebration. From first-timers knocking over a 10k, to seasoned marathoners chasing PBs, the whole city comes alive.
Nick Atkinson, Senior Marketing Director at Nike, told PEDESTRIAN.TV that this event brings the vision of a runner’s dream to life.
“Melbourne has become one of the world’s great running cities, a place where sport, culture and creativity collide,” he shared.
“From the cheer zones and community shakeout runs to elite athletes and first-timers sharing the same course, the festival reflects Nike’s belief that running is for everyone, every day.”
Atkinson says that Nike is a brand built by runners, for runners, and it’s a vision that is driven by both community and connection. So for him, this event captures what runners want in a race-cation “perfectly”.
Melbourne Marathon hits the intersection of travel, fitness and experiences. It offers the challenge of a race day coupled with the cultural delights Melbourne is known for. This year’s festival didn’t disappoint, and drew in runners from all across the country.
Nima Mirz made his way from Sydney to Melbourne to experience the atmosphere he described as “crazy”.
A runner from Sydney, he went down with friends to undertake the gruelling 42km distance, while having a weekend away enjoying the best of what the city has to offer.
“I feel like Melbourne has always, irrespective of running, kept culture and art at its hub and I think it does that with running. It keeps it quite fresh… there’s a bit of culture and it’s not about just exercising for the sake of exercising,” he said.
“I also love Melbourne, so any excuse to get back down there, get my exercise in and then go hit some wines at Hope Street Radio, that’s one of my favourite restaurants, it’s a double win for me.”
There’s no question we are in a running Renaissance, with people lacing up in numbers like we’ve never seen before, particularly after the post-COVID running boom. Melbourne’s running scene has always had a strong sense of community that’s only strengthened with running’s rise in popularity. But the secret sauce of what makes an event feel special is a focus on community, championing the parts of a solo sport that allow people to feel connected to something in what can feel like an individual pursuit.
Atkinson says that showcasing the local community beyond race day means that Melbourne Marathon becomes a space where runners feel supported and inspired. This year Nike’s partnerships with community led Run Clubs like Femmi and the Furies kept the buzz going pre and post finish line.
“Listening to runners and understanding their needs shapes everything we do. At events like the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival, that commitment truly comes to life. From Nike powered pre-race shakeout runs with partners like Femmi, Riley Hemson, UPTHERE Athletics and the Furies, to The Nike Run Club relax and refuel zone to lunch with Nike’s elite athletes, every moment is built to connect and empower runners,” said Atkinson.
He believes that running culture is only going to grow and with more than 3.4 million people pulling on their runners each year, the momentum isn’t going anywhere. Major moments like the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival are a celebration of running culture that brings together runners of all levels and creates spaces with a remarkable shared energy.
“Earlier this year, our Nike After Dark Tour also captured that same spirit, especially among women, helping to create inclusive and inspiring running experiences. Whether it’s through product, events or community, Nike is committed to fostering a running culture that’s welcoming, energising, and built to last,” he said.
These trips are not only about medals or personal bests, for many, the real reward of a sports-cation is connection. Travelling for sport creates shared experiences that go beyond just a location, where strangers become teammates and finish lines become a space for friendships. These trips are as much about the people you meet as they are the kilometres you cover.
It’s a way to see the world through a different lens, one that’s grounded in community, culture and the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other. As runner Nima Mirz puts it, “I think [sports-cations] encourages people to get out and see the world. For me I was looking at doing races all across Asia, not just the majors, but just going to do destination runs. I think you get to meet really cool people and build a network through something that you both enjoy whether or not you speak the same language.”
A good race-cation can be a powerful experience, and as Australians continue to blur the line between travel and lifestyle, the rise is more than just a fleeting trend but marks a cultural shift in how and why we are travelling.
With events like the Nike Melbourne Marathon showing how running can unite fitness, friendship, and exploration, the movement of travelling for sport is only gaining momentum. Whether it’s ticking off a bucket-list marathon or discovering new corners of the country through running, 2026 looks set to be another big year for travellers with eyes on finish lines.
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