Shorebird Coast Run 2026

The Shorebird Coast Run begins at Rays Rest Reserve near Pūkorokoro/Miranda, on New Zealand's Shorebird Coast, and raises funds for the Pūkorokoro Shorebird Centre. Participants can select a half marathon, 10km, or 5km distance, with a separate 1.5km Kuaka Kids Race for children aged 4 to 12. The event focuses on the coast's birdlife alongside its running, so the children's race incorporates activity stations and a godwit migration theme instead of a simple short loop. The half marathon follows a largely flat, two-lap out-and-back course on the Hauraki Rail Trail, utilizing hard-packed sand, grass, and smooth metal trail surfaces. It goes by the shorebird centre, Taramaire Wildlife Reserve pond, Access Bay Train Shelter, and the Robert Findlay bird hides. The 10km follows a flat out-and-back route past wetlands, bird habitat, shoreline views, and coastal mudflats, while the 5km remains on the coastal trail network starting from Rays Rest Reserve. Families, walkers, first-time half marathoners, social runners, and club runners can all participate in the same morning, and the bird theme extends after the races with optional costumes for kids, food trucks, and coffee available at the finish.