This weekend (Saturday 12 July) marks one hundred days to the start of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, with the ‘house full’ notice having been posted on the eve of the One-Hundred-Day launch, which took place at adidas’ headquarters in Observatory.
And the significant increase in participation tells the story of the continent’s most prestigious standard marathon which continues to grow in excitement and anticipation.
Marathon excitement in the World’s Best City (Time Out Magazine’s 2025 rating) has grown in leaps and bounds since the elevation of the Cape Town Marathon to a new level in 2014, when current sponsors Sanlam came on board.
Entries for the iconic 42,2km race through the Mother City more than doubled in 2014 to reach 3385 and continued to climb year on year. Only COVID stemmed the tide in 2020, but by 2022 entries had reached a record high of 13 049.
Marathon entries broke through the 20 000 ceiling last year, totalling 21 258 for the 2024 race, and excitement reached fever pitch with the 24 000 cut-off for this year’s race reached on the eve of the 100 day launch.
And as the organisers and the City take measures to grow the marathon’s infrastructure to host increased numbers, there is little doubt that 30 000 will be surpassed, quite possibly by next year’s race.
Anticipation is high that Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will soon join the elite club making up the Abbott’s World Marathon Majors – Berlin, New York, Chicago, London, Tokyo, Boston and Sydney, added last year.
“Hopefully this year will be the final stride to realising the dream of landing Africa’s first World Marathon Major,” newly appointed Cape Town Marathon General Manager, Liz Kruger said at the launch, admitting the pressure will be on in her first year at the helm.
“2025 is the final year of our candidacy. If we are successful, Cape Town will join the seven, so there’s a lot of pressure. Last year we passed all the 104 criteria, including the ‘no cars on the route’ rule where we had failed in previous two years.
“We are fully committed to achieve the final pass to put Cape Town, South Africa and Africa on the World Marathon Major map,” Kruger continued. “If we become a Marathon Major in 2026, we will welcome an estimated 20 000 running tourists to Cape Town and will broadcast the race to 180 countries.”
The quality of the field for this year’s race is assured but doesn’t come cheaply, Kruger admitted. “A world class event demands a world class field. In conjunction with adidas, we are working hard towards investing in a top-flight field. As a candidate Marathon Major, we are bound to include at least four platinum and six gold label athletes in both male and female categories.”
Operational excellence will be Cape Town Marathon’s watchword in order to meet every one of the 104 criteria, Kruger emphasised. “Just to give an idea of what is needed to meet just one of 104 criteria (no parked cars on route) will involve:
960 no stopping signs, 120 no parking advisory signs, over 2000 road cones, 100 security guards and several km of fencing. Twelve event managers will be working 24 hrs per day for four days leading up to the marathon to ensure that not a single car is parked on the race route.”
The most popular announcement at the launch was the return of the adidas-sponsored “Run for Africa” programme.
“Run for Africa is back!” announced Senior Brand Director at adidas South Africa, Tom Brown. “Runners will earn a R2000 voucher if they start and finish the marathon in adidas shoes.
“We aim to achieve three goals for this year’s marathon – to bring top athletes to Cape Town, to give all runners a celebratory race experience and to ensure mass participation from the people of Cape Town and South Africa.
“Run for Africa has ensured that we have put our money where our mouth is!”
The race’s title sponsor, Sanlam, attested to the importance of the moment of being the final year of Marathon Major candidacy. “This milestone is a source of great pride – not just for Cape Town, but for Africa as a whole,” said Shadi Chauke, Sanlam Group Executive: Corporate Affairs and Sustainability.
“Sanlam is honoured to share this responsibility with organisers, partners, and the City of Cape Town in showcasing Africa and her people on the world stage.”
The launch celebrated three women who have shown extraordinary marathon commitment over the years. Alison Smith and Anne Williams were on hand to describe their journey in completing thirteen previous Cape Town Marathons and their hopes for their fourteenth this October, while the star of the evening was none other than adidas super-star, Gerda Steyn, who spoke of her passion for racing the marathon distance.
“For me, the marathon is such a unique distance which challenges me in a way that ultras can’t. I stand on the start line at marathons, nervous like everyone else, not knowing if I will be able to maintain the pace throughout.
“I’ve never reached the finish of a marathon thinking that it was not so hard after all! Ultras give you some space to relax but the 42,2km marathon is pure focus the entire way, needing positive thinking and application to succeed.”
Like Kruger, Steyn admitted to feeling pressure on the start line. “Of course I feel pressure – I often have a target on my back! But I try not to think of pressure as a negative thing, instead I see it as a complete positive – people are out there in support – wanting me to do well.”
Steyn raced Cape Town Marathon in 2021, where she placed a competitive fourth behind a trio of leading East Africans. Will she be back this year?
“I wanted to have a complete mental break after Comrades so I decided not to plan any races before the end of the year. So I do have a space in my calendar!” Steyn admitted with a smile. “I ran in 2021 and it was such a wonderful experience – I remember it like yesterday.”
