Portland 3 Bays Running Festival takes place on Sat, Oct 31, 2026 in Portland, Australia. The main route is 42.2 km.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 31, 2026
- Start
- Portland 🇦🇺
- Distance
- 42.2 km
- Climbing
- 300 m
- Level
- Open to all
The Portland 3 Bays Running Festival is a multi-day event featuring coastal trail ultras along the Great South West Walk and a historic road marathon taking in Bridgewater Bay, Discovery Bay, and Portland Bay.
Official event pageWhat this race demands
The Portland 3 Bays Running Festival marathon demands sustained pacing across a full 42.2 km distance over coastal terrain with moderate elevation change.
Marathon Distance
Covering the full 42.2 km distance requires thorough physical preparation and disciplined pacing to manage fatigue in the later stages.
Coastal Terrain Management
Navigating routes around Bridgewater Bay, Discovery Bay, and Portland Bay demands adaptability to changing coastal trail and road surfaces.
Durability and Efficiency
Sustaining forward motion over 300 meters of cumulative elevation gain across a marathon distance tests running economy and muscular endurance.
A sustained effort of this duration requires consistent intake of 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour to maintain energy levels and prevent late-race depletion.
What would it take you?
Pick the level closest to yours for an estimate of finish time on this course and the training a solid preparation needs.
Estimated finish
4:00–4:50
Peak-week training
5–7 h/week
A model estimate from distance, climbing and level, not a promise. Conditions, drafting and pacing move it.
IntervalCoach turns those weekly hours into a concrete plan built around your actual fitness. Start with this race as your goal
Your road to race day
Race day at Portland 3 Bays Running Festival is 10 weeks away. This is how a coach divides that time. The first phase starts now.
01Build4 weeks · Aug 23, 2026 – Sep 19, 2026
Progressive overload: training load climbs in waves, with harder weeks stacked on the base and planned recovery weeks that let the gains land.
02Peak3 weeks · Sep 20, 2026 – Oct 10, 2026
The hardest weeks of the plan: race-specific intensity at nearly full training load, sharpening exactly what this race asks for.
03Taper2 weeks · Oct 11, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026
Volume drops while intensity stays: short, sharp efforts keep the legs awake as fatigue drains away.
04Race week1 week · Oct 25, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026
Openers, rest and logistics. The work is done; the job now is arriving fresh.
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