Everything you need to know about the Roller Coaster Trail Run Event

Roll up, roll up! Melbourne’s Mountain Run is coming around again on October 19. This Australian trail running classic has had a makeover: all the same races and excitement of last year’s edition jam packed into ONE action packed, fun and fantastic day rather than TWO.

Whether this is your first trail run or your 100th, this weekend has it all. 

Choose from the Kids Carousel 2k, 12k Twilight Mad Mouse, 23k Single Loop, 46k Double Loop Ultra, or go bananas and do both the 12k and the 23k (Full Throttle) or the 12k and 46k (Beast Mode) in the one, epic day. 

The Dandenong Ranges are an easy one hour drive east from Melbourne’s city centre with the trails a mix of smooth gravel, gutsy gradients and flowy downhills through a cooling forest. 

You’ll burst out of the picturesque Kalorama Memorial Reserve and cover a quick mile on the road before reaching the trails. During the downhill first section, your confidence will be sky high until you turn left and are confronted with the brutal ‘hands-on-knees’ hike that is Observatory Track. This is perhaps the steepest climb of the entire race and you’ll climb 130m of vert over just 350 metres at a grade of 35%.

At the top, you’ll right turn onto Kyeema Track and follow this trail across the hillside catching a great view at the famous Burkes Lookout. Bomb the descent down the zig zag track through tall Mountain Ash and rainforest ferns before emerging at Doongalla Picnic Area. This is the serene home of the only on-course Aid Station, but one that you’ll loop back through on your return journey towards the finish.

From Doongalla Picnic Ground, it’s a short dash to where the challenge really begins at Dodds Track: this is a second very steep climb which is part of Roller Coaster folklore. The single track of Banksia Track that follows is an absolute cracker and after you pass through the Doongalla Aid Station for a the second time it’s a roller coaster ride all the way back to Kalorama Memorial Reserve.

There is a cruel madness to the 46k course design: after completing the relentless 23km loop described above, you’ll take a u-turn at the finish line and head out to do your second loop in reverse. 

Melbourne-based Nathan Pearce has owned the 23km in the past two editions: winning in 2022 on debut before setting the course record time of 1hr 36min in 2023. Kate Avery is the defending 23km women’s champion, course record holder in 1hr 54min and is a chance to return again in 2024. 

Can someone break the magical 4-hour mark for the Men’s and 4hrs 30min for the Women’s records on the 46km Double Loop? The record, currently set by James Barnett, stands at 4hrs 1min. The Women’s 46km Double Loop record stands at 4hrs 33min by Shivonne Sieber in 2022.
The Roller Coaster Run by SingleTrack Events: the perfect place to run with nature, and Find Your Epic.

REGISTRATIONS CLOSE 19 OCTOBER 2024