This year marks a milestone worth celebrating – 45 years since Sole Motive first began its journey to inspire Australians to move. What started in 1980 as a running magazine called Australian Runner has grown into a multifaceted business that now spans events, retail, publishing, and community – all built around one shared purpose: to get people moving.
Where It All Began
In the late 1970s, Terry and Joan O’Halloran took a leap of faith. Armed with a passion for running and a kitchen table covered in drafts, they launched Australian Runner magazine – the first of its kind in the country. Every subscription was handwritten, every envelope addressed by hand, and every T-shirt order fulfilled from their home.
It was grassroots in every sense, and it struck a chord with a growing running community hungry for connection, information, and inspiration.
Building a Movement
Over the decades, that magazine evolved into a business – Sole Motive – a name that captured both the spirit of running and the motivation behind it. From organising mass participation events and marathons to opening retail stores and launching Runner’s World Australia & New Zealand, Sole Motive became a hub for runners at every stage of their journey.
Along the way, the business helped raise more than $30 million for charities across Australia and New Zealand, supporting countless causes close to the community’s heart.
The Legacy Continues
Today, Sole Motive remains a family-run business, still guided by the same values Terry and Joan instilled: hard work, authenticity, and community. Their children, Nick, Matt, and Chris, now carry the torch, continuing to grow the business while honouring its roots.
From Run Melbourne and Canberra Marathon to the Carman’s Fun Run, Sunset Series, and the new Brighton Beach Marathon, Sole Motive events bring tens of thousands of people together each year to run, walk, celebrate, and give back.
As Sole Motive’s CEO, Lisa Holmes, says: “Sole Motive was never just about running, it’s always been about people, purpose, and community. We honour the past by continuing to build on it.”
45 Years and 45 Hours of Thanks
To celebrate this milestone, Sole Motive is saying thank you the best way it knows how, by giving back to the community that’s made it all possible.
For a limited time, we’re hosting a 45-hour site-wide sale across solemotive.com, featuring apparel, footwear, and gear from the world’s leading running brands. It’s our way of saying thanks for every step, every start line, and every shared finish over the past four-and-a-half decades.
Here’s to the Next 45 Years
From the first magazine subscribers in 1980 to the runners lining up at our start lines today – Sole Motive’s story is your story. Thank you for being part of it.
Here’s to more runs, more moments, and more reasons to move.
