INFORMATION

GEELONG RUNNING FESTIVAL WEDNESDAY FUN RUN - 6:00PM

Starting May 27 and leading into the Geelong Running Festival, TEAM Geelong Running is teaming up with the Wharf Shed Geelong, Blackman’s Brewery, Geelong Sports Medicine Centre and ProFeet Footwear and Podiatry - to bring you a FREE weekly 5km community run every WEDNESDAY at 6:00PM.

Join us for a relaxed 5km run or walk from the Wharf Shed, heading out to Rippleside Park and back - all paces welcome. Stick around after for a well-earned FREE beer, thanks to Blackman’s Brewery.

At 7:00PM, we’ll host a 30-minute expert led information session with some of Geelong’s best practitioners, covering a different topic each week to help you train smarter and feel more confident heading into the Geelong Running Festival. Afterwards, head downstairs and enjoy a great meal with the team at the Wharf Shed.

Come for the run, the talk, or both! - Run. Learn. Connect.

LOCATION: Upstairs Wharf Shed - 15 Eastern Beach Rd, Geelong 3220.

COURSE: 5km Map - HERE.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • When you arrive, CHECK IN in with our run leads.

  • Welcome and Intro at 6:00PM.

  • Run leaves at 6:05PM sharp, and you must be back by 7:00PM to redeem your FREE beer. Don’t forget to bring your ID for proof of age!

  • All runners will receive a FREE beer (Juicy Banger IPL, Pivot City Lager or Ginger Beer). There is also water & soda for those that do not drink alcohol.

  • You NEED to sign our waiver! You only have to REGISTER ONCE, and your waiver is good until September 16th, 2026.

WEEKLY TOPICS & GUEST PRESENTERS

June 3rd - Footwear & Running Gear Essentials - ProFeet Footwear

  • Shoe categories and selection.

  • Rotation strategies.

  • Super shoes: benefits and risks.

  • Avoiding common footwear injuries.

  • Socks, apparel and recovery tools.

June 10th - Fueling for Marathon & Half Marathon Training - Sophie Houghton

  • Daily nutrition fundamentals.

  • Fueling before/ during/ after long runs.

  • Hydration and electrolytes.

  • Energy gels explained.

  • Avoiding GI issues.

June 17th - Strength Training for Runners / Sports Medicine & Performance Testing - Yazmine Hayes GSMC

  • Integrating strength into training.

  • Injury resilience.

  • Mobility vs strength.

  • Core and posterior chain development.

  • Simple gym and home-based programs.

  • VO2 max and lactate testing.

  • Blood work for endurance athletes.

  • Bone stress injuries.

  • When to seek professional help.

  • Performance screening.

June 24th - Running Mechanics & Podiatry - ProFeet Footwear

  • Efficient running form.

  • Cadence and stride length.

  • Foot function and biomechanics.

  • Gait analysis.

  • Common podiatry concerns.

July 1st - Injury Prevention & Load Management - Lauren Ryan GSMC

  • Most common marathon injuries.

  • Warning signs runners ignore.

  • Recovery vs overtraining.

  • Managing niggles early.

  • Smart progression principles.

July 8th - Understanding Training Load - Adam Beckworth

  • Easy vs hard running.

  • Session purpose.

  • Heart rate, pace and perceived effort.

  • Recovery metrics.

  • Avoiding training mistakes.

July 15th - The Psychology of Distance Running - TBC

  • Motivation through long training blocks.

  • Goal setting.

  • Mental resilience.

  • Dealing with setbacks.

  • Race-day mindset strategies.

July 22nd - Recovery & Regeneration - Tom Collins GSMC

  • Sleep optimisation.

  • Recovery modalities.

  • Nutrition for recovery.

  • Cold water immersion/ compression.

  • When to rest completely.

July 29th - Women in Running - TBC

  • Female-specific endurance considerations.

  • Hormones and training.

  • Iron deficiency awareness.

  • Pregnancy/ postpartum running.

  • Creating inclusive running communities.

August 5th - Race Strategy & Pacing - Lee Troop

  • Marathon pacing fundamentals.

  • Half marathon pacing.

  • Negative splitting.

  • Using watches effectively.

  • Adapting for weather/ wind.

August 12th - Running, Community & Inclusion - TBC

  • Running for all abilities.

  • Wheelchair racing insights.

  • Masters running.

  • Indigenous participation in running.

  • Building sustainable running culture.

August 19th - The Elite Athlete Panel - TBC

  • Q&A with elite runners.

  • Training philosophies.

  • Biggest mistakes made.

  • Race experiences.

  • Balancing life and training.

August 26th - Race Gear & Shoe Selection for Race Day - ProFeet Footwear

  • Choosing your marathon or half marathon race shoe.

  • Carbon plate shoes: benefits, risks and who they suit.

  • When not to change shoes before race day.

  • Race kit planning and avoiding chafing/ blisters.

  • Socks, nutrition carry options and hydration setup.

  • Practicing with the exact gear you’ll race in.

  • “Nothing new on race day” principles.

  • Final long run gear rehearsal tips.

September 2nd - Tapering & Final Preparation - Lee Troop/ Lauren Ryan GSMC

  • How to taper correctly.

  • Reducing anxiety before race day.

  • Travel and logistics.

  • Final long run guidance.

  • Avoiding last-minute mistakes.

September 9th - Race Week Planning - Lee Troop

  • Course strategy.

  • Warm-up routines.

  • Gear checklist.

  • Weather preparation.

  • Spectator/ support crew tips.

September 16th - Pre-Race Nutrition & Pasta Party - Sophie Houghton

  • Carbohydrate loading.

  • Hydration in race week.

  • Race morning breakfast.

  • Final Q&A.