Elements Running Events Timeline: 2017 to Today

August 25, 2026

Elements Running Events Timeline: 2017 to Today

Elements Running began as an Australian-based event project that deliberately sought remote, weather‑tested marathon and half‑marathon courses framed as a five‑point “Compass Club” series. This timeline documents the organiser’s public record from 2017 through today (25 August 2026), using surviving organiser pages, timing/start‑list platforms and independent running‑community reports to preserve dates, locations and primary sources. Where possible the timeline links to the original event listing or timing page rather than reproducing entire result lists. (elements-running.com)

Quick summary (what this timeline covers)

• Founding and first Compass Club events (2017–2018) and growth into a five‑point series across Australia’s extremities. (elements-running.com)
• Expansion to remote and beach marathons plus festival‑style community runs (2019–2022). (elements-running.com)
• COVID disruptions and a phased return from 2021; continuing activity through 2025 with a partial pause announced for 2026. (elements-running.com)
• Primary public records: organiser pages on elements‑running.com, third‑party registration/timing platforms (Race Roster, Webscorer), and local running‑club reports. (elements-running.com)

Timeline by period

2017 — Concept and first events

Elements Running launched the Compass Club concept in 2017: a deliberately ambitious challenge to stage marathon (42 km) and half‑marathon (21 km) distances at Australia’s five compass points (North, South, East, West and Central). The organiser’s site records that 2017 was the start of these remote, mixed‑terrain events which combined road, trail and beach formats. Early results and timing records for the Larapinta / central Australia event appear in surviving timing listings and organiser pages. (elements-running.com)

2018–2019 — Consolidation and northern legs

Through 2018 and 2019 Elements Running staged multiple Compass Club legs, including southern Tasmanian courses (Cockle Creek / Recherche area) and northern Cape York events. Third‑party timing pages preserved finish lists and start lists for several early events. The Compass Club’s identity — medals that form a map of Australia when combined and runs at each compass point — appears in organiser material and in local race reports. (elements-running.com)

2020 — COVID interruptions

The global pandemic affected the Compass Club like many community events. The Elements Running records and third‑party listings note cancellations or “no event” annotations for specific 2020 legs and a reduction in field sizes where supported runs took place. Elements‑Running’s results index explicitly records cancellations and references timing pages for the years before and after the COVID disruption. (elements-running.com)

2021 — Phased resumption and remote logistics

In 2021 Elements Running resumed activity as border and travel rules allowed. Several Compass Club events returned to the calendar with modest fields and adaptations to safety and logistics required for remote starts (early starts, support vehicles and extended aid options). The organiser’s results index links to timing entries for 2021 central and northern legs. Local club reports and event listings provide course descriptions and runner perspectives from those years. (elements-running.com)

2022–2024 — Continued series and occasional standalone marathons

Elements Running continued to stage Compass Club legs and standalone events through 2022–2024. The organiser’s archive and timing pages show the North (Cape York) and South (Cockle Creek / Recherche) legs among the most consistently staged; Cockle Creek returned in 2024 as a classic remote south‑coast trail marathon. Elements Running also ran beach marathon formats (the Grunt Beach / “gRUNt” events) and community festival runs in this period. All entries in this timeline are linked to the surviving event or timing page used as the primary public reference. (elements-running.com)

2025 — Peak activity and new western leg

In 2025 Elements Running staged a first Compass Club West / Steep Point (Shark Bay) event and continued the established South and East legs. Race Roster listings and organiser posts confirm an expanded public registration method for some 2025 events and provide organiser contact details used throughout this timeline. Social posts captured by local directories and event listings document medal designs (magnetised compass pieces) and the organiser’s emphasis on completing the full set. (raceroster.com)

Early–mid 2026 — Logan Running Festival and pause announcement

Start lists and timing pages show a 42 km field for the Logan Running Festival (Berrinba, QLD) held 17 May 2026 with Elements Running listed as organiser on the start‑list platform. Public posts from the organiser in early 2026 subsequently indicated a planned pause in Compass Club events from May onward, including no planned Compass Club Series events for the rest of 2026 as the organiser took a break from staging events. The timeline records both the 2026 activity that occurred and the organiser’s statement about pausing future events for the foreseeable future. (elements-running.com)

Verified event index (select highlights)

How this record was compiled (scope and limitations)

This timeline is an independent historical compilation for Elements‑Running.com readers and researchers. It prioritises surviving, verifiable public records: the organiser’s own pages, third‑party registration platforms (Race Roster), timing/start‑list services (Webscorer) and local running‑club reports (for course context and participant notes). Where full downloadable results exist on timing platforms the timeline links to them; where only event listings survive, those are recorded as the primary reference. The organiser’s own archive pages describe the scope and method used here. (elements-running.com)

Limitations: some timing pages restrict automated crawling or show partial pages to non‑interactive clients; some social posts and local PDFs are transient and may not survive indefinitely. If you need a full athlete result file, follow the timing/start‑list link provided on the relevant entry or contact the event organiser via the contact details shown on Race Roster and the event pages. (raceroster.com)

Event logistics and runner notes (what made Elements Running distinct)

• Compass Club design: five compass points with themed medals that can combine into a map‑style set. The organiser emphasised remote‑route logistics, generous cut‑offs and a focus on competitor safety. (elements-running.com)
• Remote travel: many legs required 4WD access, early starts to avoid heat, and additional runner self‑sufficiency (especially for Cape York and Lambert Centre legs). Local club reports provide practical packing and transport notes for these regions. (tasmanianroadrunners.org.au)
• Diverse terrains: events mixed trail, beach and road running and sometimes offered 7 km community runs alongside the 21 km and 42 km options. (elements-running.com)

Sportsbooks and betting — short, evidence‑based note for readers

Elements Running events are community/participation marathons staged in remote Australian locations. Major bookmakers and sportsbooks tend to open meaningful athletics or marathon markets only for high‑profile international competitions (World Athletics Championships, Olympic marathons, World Marathon Majors and selected championship races). Coverage of grassroots or locally organised marathons is typically too thin or too small for continuous markets; when bookmakers do list marathon markets they normally focus on elite fields or championship outrights. Readers should not assume events listed here are regularly available to bet with mainstream bookmakers — availability is event‑by‑event and varies by operator and jurisdiction. (sportswhizz.com)

If you are specifically looking for bookmakers that sometimes offer athletics/marathon markets, global operators frequently named in recent media and comparison coverage include bet365, BetMGM, PointsBet and the UK operators shown on aggregator sites — but none of those references imply recurring coverage of small, remote community marathons like Elements Running’s Compass Club unless a bookmaker explicitly opens markets for a particular event. Always verify markets on the operator’s site and read the market terms. (topfootytips.com)

Responsible gambling note: if you choose to bet, do so only where legal in your jurisdiction, with licensed operators, and within your means. This page does not endorse gambling. For readers in jurisdictions with available commercial sports betting, check local licensing and the bookmaker’s specific market list for each event before placing a wager. (sportswhizz.com)

Practical guidance for runners, researchers and record‑seekers

1. For race entries or organiser contact details: use the organiser pages or the Race Roster listing for the specific year/event; Race Roster entries include contact emails and phone numbers where provided. (raceroster.com)
2. For verified start lists and finish times: consult the timing/start‑list platform linked on the organiser’s result pages (Webscorer is the timing provider most commonly linked in the surviving public record). If a timing page is not available, contact the organiser at the address shown on the registration listing. (elements-running.com)
3. For course descriptions, logistics and local conditions: look for local running‑club race reports and the organiser’s event notes; these provide practical advice (4WD needs, hydration, heat and humidity considerations). (tasmanianroadrunners.org.au)

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. Are Elements Running courses certified by World Athletics

Most Elements Running legs are remote or trail/beach formats. World Athletics maintains a list of certified marathon and half‑marathon courses; being a certified course requires a formal measurement and certification process. Do not assume a Compass Club course is World Athletics certified unless the organiser or the World Athletics list explicitly states certification. For details about course certification check the official World Athletics certification lists. (assets.aws.worldathletics.org)

2. Where are official results stored and how can I get a copy

Primary public records are timing/start‑list pages (frequently Webscorer) and Race Roster listings. Where a timing page published downloadable results, the timeline links to that page; otherwise contact the organiser via the Race Roster contact details or the organiser email shown on elements‑running.com. (elements-running.com)

3. Will bookmakers list markets for Compass Club or Grunt Beach marathons

Bookmaker provision of marathon markets is event‑dependent. Large operators typically create markets around major international events and elite marathons; grassroots/remote participation events rarely receive continuous bookmaker coverage. Always check the operator’s market list for a specific event and jurisdiction. (sportswhizz.com)

4. Are Elements Running events still happening after the 2026 pause announcement

The organiser published posts indicating a pause in Compass Club events for much of 2026 as the organiser took time away from staging events; however some entries (for example, the Logan Running Festival start list in May 2026) remain in the public record. Check the organiser’s site or the Race Roster / event listing for the latest official status before making plans. (findglocal.com)

5. Who should I contact about lost results or verification for a personal PB

Start with the event’s timing/start‑list page (the canonical record where available). If