The Two Oceans marathon is an iconic 56km road race in the Western Cape, and it is a bucket list race for runners. Some runners will use it as a long training run for the Comrades Marathon, while for other runners it will be their main goal. 

The first concern for runners training for the Two Oceans marathon is getting the qualifier marathon done and dusted, and the qualifier marathon has to be run under 5hrs. 

There is a good reason for this qualification standard, as runners need to have a fair chance of completing the Two Oceans marathon. I have coached runners that just scraped in just under 5hrs for their qualifier, and they were all fine on the Two Oceans marathon. 

The marathon qualifier deadline date for the Two Oceans marathon  is the first weekend in March, meaning that this year (2025), you can still qualify on marathons on Saturday, March 1 or Sunday, March 2. 

Qualifiers for Two Oceans marathon

Some of the marathons in South Africa that can still be used are the Vaal marathon, Balwins Pretoria marathon, Capital City marathon, or Legends Soweto marathon, all on Sunday, February 23. 

And then on March 1, there are the Battlefields marathon, Cango Caves marathon and the Elands marathon. NOTE: Entries may have have closed by now for some of these marathons. 

Let’s have a look at these marathon to help you decide which would work best for you. If you are a slow runner and haven’t qualified yet, then you would want to run an easier route for a faster possible time.

 Fast marathon routes help slower runners

To my mind the fastest route in South Africa is the Elands Valley marathon, run from Waterval Boven to Ngodwana in Mpumalanga. I have a soft sport for this marathon as I ran my first sub 3hrs there with a 2hrs 40 minutes back in 1983 on the inaugural Elands marathon.

The race starts in the small railway town of Waterval Boven, and begins with an early climb up to the N4 national road. You then turn right and the fun starts as you start to drop down the escarpment to the Lowveld. The first few kays are quite a steep drop, and a wise runner will be cautious to save the legs.

Once you have run through the tunnel, you are suddenly in the Lowveld, and the drop becomes more gradual as the road follows the valley, alongside the river. This drop is not as severe as at the Kaapsehoop marathon. At around 28km the road starts to flatten out, and it is from here that runners who started too fast, will start to find the going hard. But those who have paced themselves well, will be able to maintain a steady pace to the finish.

The one drawback to this marathon, is the heat and humidity, which builds up as you drop into the Lowveld. But if you are a borderline 5hr runner, this may be your best chance to crack the 5hr barrier.

Although I haven’t run the Cango Caves marathon it has been a favourite route for my runners seeking fast times, and many have set their personal bests on this route. 

But if you are a stronger runner, with the marathon qualifier already done and dusted, then picking a tougher route is great for training. Routes such as the Balwins Pretoria marathon are ideal for this. I have run this marathon and the vibe and organisation are superb. The route is a double lapper, going up and down the Fort Klapperkop hill each time. This is not a route for a fast time, but definitely great training for Chapmans Peak and Constantia Nek on the Two Oceans marathon.

The Capital City marathon I have not run, but my KZN runners have told me that it is a tough route. 

Long runs for the Two Oceans ultra

I always advise runners to try do a 48-50km long run in March before the Two Oceans marathon. Many runners are afraid of doing a run longer than their marathon qualifier, but it is a huge jump going from 42km to 56km, and a 48-50km run will bridge this gap.

If you are afraid to tackle a 48-50km slow training run, how do you expect to feel on a longer 56km race?

It can be a great confidence boost, as with a 48-50km run in the bag, a runner can relax, knowing that she will be fine on the Two Oceans marathon, which removes a lot of pressure, especially for novices. The 48-50km is done at a slow and easy pace and you can stop at water points and add some walks. The idea is to get the distance done with as little damage as possible to the legs. And then allow yourself a very easy recovery week after it.

Most of my runners will do either the 50km Om die Dam on March 15, or the Irene 48km on March 23. The Om die Dam is three weeks before the Two Oceans ultra, so the timing is perfect. But there is traffic congestion and the route is being changed this year and runners will go twice up the Saartjiesnek climb!  The Irene 48km is easier in terms of logistics for many runners, but it is a bit close to the Two Oceans marathon as it is two weeks before it. 

Strong runners that are building up to the Comrades marathon (see Expert tips for a successful Comrades) and who are using the Two Oceans marathon as a training run, can do the Irene 48km. But runners that are aiming for a fast time at the Two Oceans marathon, or doing it as their goal race, would be better off doing the 50km Om die Dam as they then have three weeks to taper for the Two Ocean marathon.

Long runs when there are no races 

Runners in some provinces often struggle to find marathons and ultras to do their long runs on. The options are either using club runs and add on distance, or to use short races and add on distances. Some of my runners will for instance, run a slow marathon, and add some distance before and after. This helps a lot as there are the water points and people to run with. 

There is always a way to do a long run

Back in the 1980s and early 1990s, I did most of my 60km runs on my own. I would drive the route the night before, and hide my coke and water in the bushes every 5km. Those were before the days of GPS watches and hydration packs. I would also carry some money to buy coke at a garage. A memorable long run that I once did in 1991, was a 60km solo run before work on a Friday morning. At 7.30am I was at my desk in the office, although by 10am, I was getting sleepy!

These days many runners will use a hydration pack on long runs, and this means it is possible to carry your nutrition and hydration with you. A good tip is to run from a base such as your house or your car, and then have your drinks all set in the fridge or a cooler box. You then run a loop so that you use your base as a big water point.

I once did this with Tamara Moss, a runner I coached for the 100km Sky Run. It was a 8hr run in the heat on a hilly route at the Kings Kloof trail in Gauteng, and while Tamara ran, I cycled alongside on my mountain bike. After each loop we would stop at my car for our nutrition and drinks, and to top up our hydration packs.

The secret that Tamara learnt that day, was how using ice in the drinks helps, especially on a hot day. We could sit on the grass, eat our snacks and our iced drinks containing carbs and electrolytes, regroup, and go out again feeling refreshed.

Do some speed and hills in training 

The Two Oceans marathon is a strange animal, as it isn’t really an ultra in the sense that the Comrades is.  Working on your speed is always good for this race and how much you do, depends on how strong and experienced a runner you are. If you are new to speed work, then guidance helps as it is easy to overdo it and get injured. A great speed session that I use for all levels of runners is the 75/45 speed session and it can be adjusted to suit your level of fitness.

Runners that are focusing on the Two Oceans marathon as their goal, will do speed work up to the week before the race. But runners training for the Comrades marathon need a different approach, as the high mileage training phase starts in the middle of March and they shouldn’t worry about speed work in this phase. Comrades runners will run the Two Oceans marathon as part of their training in the high mileage phase, and run the Two Oceans slow and easy.

Taper and peak for the Two oceans marathon

Ideally you will have a 3-week taper, which starts after the last big run of 48-50km in the middle of March. The first week is a relaxed week to recover from the long run, and then in the last two weeks you can do some speed and keep the mileage quite low. Runners training for the Comrades marathon won’t have the luxury of doing a taper, as they need to keep on training in their high mileage phase.

With the training done, you can relax and enjoy the vibe and amazing scenery and come home with your Two Oceans medal.

Coach Neville Running Coach