Gold Coast Marathon 2015: Route, Course Map, Times, Event Details

The scenic Gold Coast of Australia takes center stage this weekend when nearly 27,000 runners flock to Queensland for the 2015 edition of the historic Gold Coast Marathon.

First run in 1979, the Gold Coast Marathon is an annual event known as "Australia's premier road race" and one of just two IAAF Gold Label races in Australia, placing it alongside other global treks such as the Boston Marathon, London Marathon and many more.

In other words, it's an event fit for the best runners in the world, but is in no way exclusive, meaning anyone and everyone gets involved in the action.

The Gold Coast Marathon's Facebook page breaks down the official route and course map in a comprehensive video:

The marathon's website provides a full course map, showcasing the flat trek along the scenic ocean route.

For such a massive, lengthy event, one can expect road closures. The Gold Coast Bulletin provided the full list, as well as detailed times and dates for the closures.

As for the marathon, the main event itself, the opening gun fires at 7:20 a.m. local time, although the official website suggests runners arrive an hour beforehand. It also notes a cutoff time of six hours, 45 minutes for the purposes of reopening the closed roads.

The organization and appeal of the location helps explain the marathon's special standing among the most important in the world, which seems like it will continue to grow. Tourism and major events minister Kate Jones offered some staggering numbers about the marathon's impact on the area.

“The 2015 event is expected to generate more than $20 million and 70,000 visitor nights, which underlines how successful the Gold Coast Airport Marathon has become,” she said, per WorldRunning.com.

Much of the reason so many flock to the event is the innovative stance the organizers take on runner tracking and safety. Cameron Hart, CEO of the marathon, broke down some of the new-look technology the event will use to keep participants safe, per the event's website:

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The unique barcode on the front of each race number is used by event personnel to scan participants in and out of key medical locations which is then stored in a secure database. Staff use this data to find a quick resolution to issues relating to the whereabouts of a specific participant.

The end-goal is to provide participants and their loved ones peace of mind that if injury or illness occurs on course they’ll be attended to in a quick, efficient and professional manner.

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For runners from around the world, there's nothing better than a flat, landmark-riddled course next to the ocean in a marathon leading the way in runner safety and offering a little bit of something for everyone.

On the competitive side of the coin, the growing interest in the race means new records. Japan's Yukiko Akaba smashed the women's record in 2013. Silah Limo of Kenya set the record on the men's side just one year ago, hinting at a more competitive race than ever this year as more and more flock to the Gold Coast.

One of the marathon realm's newest and greatest marquee events takes the globe by storm this weekend. It isn't one to miss.

Information courtesy of GoldCoastMarathon.com.au unless otherwise specified.