The Ballarat Marathon is returning for its second year, with over 8,000 registrations across five events, with the Half-Marathon already sold out. This world-class road running festival will be held on 26-27th April 2025. 

Grampians Health Staff have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to #runtherat and to raise much-needed funds for the Headline Charity Partner, the Ballarat Health Services Foundation. 

Grampians Health Chief Medical Officer and Vascular Surgeon, Professor Matthew Hadfield, is a Grampians Health Staff Ambassador in the 10km event. Professor Hadfield is uniquely positioned to promote the importance of both fundraising and exercise. 

"I'm running the Ballarat Marathon 10km event, not just because I know how beneficial it is for my cardiovascular health, but also for the mental health benefits which are numerous. Training for an event gives me goal to work towards - it keeps me engaged, happy and motivated. And this year I have extra motivation because I'm running as a Grampians Health Staff Ambassador," he said. 

"As a public health service, we need to make difficult decisions about the medical equipment we can afford to purchase. Fundraising for the Ballarat Health Services Foundation quite literally allows Grampians Health to buy innovative medical equipment and to support highest need projects, which we simply couldn't do with the government funding we receive. While I'm hoping to get a 10km PB at the Ballarat Marathon, I'd encourage everyone to 'go the extra mile' and fundraise or donate to the Ballarat Health Services Foundation." 

Ballarat Marathon Event Director Adam McNicol said there were shared values between the Ballarat Marathon and the Foundation. 

“We are very proud that our event has grown so strongly in just its second year. We are equally proud to be supporting public health in our great city by teaming up with the Ballarat Health Services Foundation as our Headline Charity Partner,” he said. 

“The Ballarat Marathon has been created to support and enhance health and wellbeing in our community and the fundraising side of the event is a huge part of this. We urge everyone to get behind the participants who are fundraising for many important causes.” 

Cr Ben Taylor, The City of Ballarat’s Deputy Mayor, is excited to see the event back in the city. 

 “The Ballarat Marathon has already become such a brilliant event, and I cannot wait to see how it has evolved in its second year. 

“The City of Ballarat is a proud supporter of the Ballarat Marathon, which delivers enormous benefits to Ballarat in so many different ways. 

“I encourage everybody to get behind the Ballarat Marathon in whatever way they can and help it continue to grow in the future.” 

The positive benefits of the marathon for Ballarat are also echoed by Tourism Midwest Victoria Chair, Hon. John Pandazopoulos. 

“It’s wonderful to see the Ballarat Marathon generate such strong community pride and continue to set new PBs.” he said. 

“An event that fills our hotel rooms and helps put our region on the radar of the world’s running community, the Ballarat Marathon is an integral addition to the region’s annual events calendar.”