In recent years Aussies have fallen in love with pounding the pavement, as run clubs experience a massive boom driven by a desire for social connection and fitness.
Yet in 2026 the running trend is evolving, with competing in parkrun and local events no longer enough for many who took up the sport during and after Covid.
Now, Aussies are heading overseas to tick some of the world’s best marathons off their bucket list, often starting with their trans-Tasman neighbour, New Zealand.
A 2025 survey by travel search engine Skyscanner found that 50 per cent of Australians planned to take a running trip in the next year, with 92 per cent of those surveyed either participating in or hoping to participate in an endurance event, such as a marathon.
The same report also found that more than half of 25-34-year-old Australians are looking to explore a new place by either running or cycling.
April’s Christchurch Marathon reflected that sentiment, with record participations and the Aussie contingent the strongest it has ever been.
This year’s event saw Australian registrations jump 44 per cent on 2024, with Australians making up 42 per cent of all international entrants.
This year’s event also featured participants from 36 countries, up from 22 in 2024 and 24 in 2025, with just under half of the competitors living outside Christchurch.
So why is New Zealand top of Aussie runners’ to-do list? The answer is simple: affordable flights, no language barrier and incredibly scenic courses.
In particular, Christchurch is quickly becoming the No.1 option as the picturesque south island city serves up cool, dry winter mornings and a flat course that is PB-friendly.
Away from the run itself, Christchurch is also a bustling city, with beautiful natural landscape and plenty to do, making it an attractive destination in itself.
That allure saw many make the trip in 2026.
One of whom was Olivia Tregoning, a Melburnian, who, like many competitors, came across with a friend for a long weekend to do the Christchurch Marathon, after falling in love with running post-pandemic.
“For me, I got into running after seeing a lot of TikTokers and people on Instagram posting themselves on runs,” Tregoning told news.com.au.
“I saw everyone doing the Melbourne Marathon online, and I was like, I could do this. So that’s sort of got the ball rolling for me, and then I just found the running community was so welcoming.
“I also think once you start, you find that you love it and you just can’t get out of it so for me it was doing that Melbourne Marathon and then wanted to go overseas to do them and Christchurch and Queenstown were top of that list.
“I can see I’m not alone in that thinking either as I see people are starting to travel more internationally, just because running is in such a boom at the moment. It’s so hard to get tickets to events so I think people are taking the leap, going overseas, turning it into a holiday, and bundling it up as part of one.
“I came here (to Christchurch) a day before (the marathon) and then we’re staying three or four days afterwards to get to take in the sights. Bit of recovery, utilise what New Zealand has on offer, hot springs, and, yeah, see the sights.
“We’ve had a few good recommendations for cafes and heard the coffee in Christchurch is sensational, and then there’s a few markets that we’re keen to check out so keen to get stuck into that after.”
So if you’ve felt the tug to put on your runners and test yourself you are not alone.
The sport has modernised without losing what made it popular in the first place.
Wearables have put data at runners’ fingertips and allowed them to build towards an ultimate goal.
While Christchurch has perfected the blueprint for what runners want in 2026: fast, accessible and scenic.
With the surge in Aussies hooked on the runner’s high, expect more to head to New Zealand to try and notch up PBs and have a mini holiday in the process in the years to come.
