Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival 2015: Check the events, dates and locations here

The Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival will commence on Sunday, Oct. 18. It is the premier running festival in the city where people of different ages can participate and go through the streets of Melbourne for competitive, recreational and charitable reasons.

The official website states that the Melbourne Marathon was inspired by the famous Boston Marathon. The first race was held in 1978, featuring a course that started in Frankston and ended outside the Melbourne Town Hall. Currently, the race is under IMG and has become the biggest marathon in the entire country.

There are four accompanying events, namely The Coffee Club 10km, The Flight Centre Half Marathon, the Asics 5.7 km run and Asics 3 km walk. The full marathon spans 42.2 km and there is also a half marathon event.

Those who plan to join the races or participate for fun and recreational reasons can register at the official website. People can start checking the routes, preferred starting locations and available facilities and amenities.

There will be other programs and presentations to look forward to at the Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival, such as the expo, show bag collection, merchandise displays and entertainment shows. The Active Feet Runners Expo will be located on the external concourse of the MCG between Gates 1 and 2 and will run from Oct. 15 to Oct. 18.

The preferred charities for the 2015 Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival are the Cerebral Palsy Education Centre (CPEC), the JMB Foundation – The James Macready-Bryan Foundation, the Cathy Freeman Foundation and the Australian Red Cross.

People can start looking for runners to sponsor and charities to support as well. Interested participants can visit the official website at Melbournemarathon.com.au. Click on “Start Fundraising" and then begin customising a Melbourne Marathon Festival Fundraising Page. The option to email the information to family and friends is also there.

Race tips and guidelines, maps and directories are already provided online. There are also details on accommodations, packages and rates.

The five events in the 2014 event garnered more than 32,000 entries. The event will be held in the middle of Melbourne. There will be several event courses featuring St Kilda, Yarra Park, and the City of Port Phillip. The destination will be in the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

More details and updates on the Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival are expected soon.

Watch the highlights of the Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival in 2014 here.