Event Information
Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2026
Africa’s only AIMS Gold Label Marathon and currently an Abbott World Marathon Majors candidate. Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will host the AGWC in 2026.
Guaranteed Entry Procedure: This package DOES NOT include a guaranteed entry. All runners must secure their AGWC entry.
ALL DETAILS FOR 2026 ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND WILL BE VERIFIED AND UPDATED NEARER TO THE RACE DATE.
Date: Saturday 23 May (all races except marathon) / Sunday 24 May 2026 (Marathon)
Start Times (Saturday)
43-46km Cape Town Trail Marathon — 06:00
22km Cape Town Trail Run — 06:45 & 06:47
11km Cape Town Trail Run — Two batches starting at 07:30
10km Peace Run — First start time 07:00; batches will leave every 5 mins
5km Peace Run — First start time 08:05; batches will go every 5 mins
Start Times (Sunday)
42.2km Marathon — Various 06:00
Elite wheelchairs — 06:10
Elite field 06:15 — Batches will then go every 2 mins
Race Rules
All official race rules must be followed and will be communicated directly to all registered participants.
Course
Starting and finishing outside the iconic Cape Town Stadium, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon winds through the city in the shadow of Table Mountain along a fast route down to the southern suburbs and back to loop next to the sea and the finish line. Hosted in a unique city that brings the best of all worlds together, the marathon will enable runners from Africa and around the globe to experience the spirit of running an African Major. Set in the beautiful, international city of Cape Town on the tip of South Africa, it embodies the beauty of the sea and mountains of the Cape. Alongside the marathon (Sunday) the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon weekend includes 10km & 5km Peace Runs and some mountain trail runs (Saturday); 43-46km, 22km & 11km.
Time Limit & Cut Offs
Cut-off times
42.2km Marathon – 6.5 hours
See the route map for details of all cut-off times
Trail Events:
43-46km Cape Town Trail Marathon – 10 hours
22km Cape Town Trail Run – 5 hours
11km Cape Town Trail Run – 4 hours
Peace Runs:
10km Peace Run – 2.5 hours
5km Peace Run – 1.5 hours
Weather
Average temperatures range between 13 to 20 deg C (55 to 68 deg F)
Eligibility
In accordance with Athletics South Africa (ASA) Rules and Regulations, participants must meet the minimum age requirement for each event by the event date.
5km Peace Run: 9 years
10km Peace Run: 14 years
11km Cape Town Trail: 18 years
22km Cape Town Trail: 18 years
43-46km Cape Town Trail Marathon: 20 years
42.2km Marathon: 20 years
Awards
Everyone who finishes the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will receive a medal, ASICS Shirt and goodie bag.
Event difficulty
Moderate to fairly flat course. As flat as it can be in Cape Town!
