Value for Money
With all the controversy about Comrades doubling its entry fees , I thought I ’ d leave the financial report for the end of this article : Although the route is Randburg , the entry fee is Sandton . At close on R440 , this is currently the most expensive standard marathon on the South African running calendar ( see sidebar ). However , the combination of a one-lap route , shade the whole way , pleasant scenery , excellent support tables ( with food and toilets ) and minimal traffic on the course , makes this , for my money , the best marathon route in Gauteng .
Graham ’ s new kid on the marathon running Block is a tough test for the undertrained and overweight , but those in better shape than me will no doubt find this a good course to race – and I saw plenty of PB boasts on social media after the race . Even for the lazy marathon runner , the stats don ’ t lie – despite lugging my excess baggage up and down every minor hill in Randburg , this was my fastest marathon in over two years . The Run Zone Athletics Club has quickly become an institution on the Joburg streets , and its marathon is sure to do the same .
The finish at Marks Park
Signing out from the Joburg North City Marathon
Why are entry fees so high ?
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have been monitoring race entry fees and increases since 2019 . I ’ ve noticed that there have been significant jumps in the entry fees for most city races , whilst the increases are much smaller for the out-of-town events . I therefore asked Graham Block about the costs to run an event like the Joburg North City Marathon .
Many factors influence race costs , including having well-stocked support tables
He told me that the total cost to put on an event like this is around R500,000 – and almost half the expenses are just to pay for the services of the 168 raceday traffic officers . Many runners think this is a “ free service ” provided by the city , but this is only true for some out-of-town races . Other major costs include venue hire plus three fields for parking , transport costs for 203 marshals , and various general costs , including medals , food and drink for the 14 support tables on route , signage , fencing , etc . Also , one-lap marathons are more expensive than double-lappers , so we as runners pay for the privilege of a more interesting route .
For this event a decision was made not to pay prize money , but that usually adds another big expense item to the debtor ’ s column .
You ’ ll also notice than most of the major costs are fixed , like traffic police and venue , rather than being dependent on the number of runners . COVID regulations currently restrict the size of race fields , so it is very difficult to break even with smaller fields , without increasing the entry fees . With costs of R500,000 and a limit of 2000 runners ( many of whom are doing the cheaper , shorter distances ), just to break even you need an average net entry fee of R250 per runner – and that ’ s after the online entry commission and the substantial percentage paid to the local athletics body , thus pushing the gross entry fee up still more .
This race , like many others , unfortunately , does not have a major sponsor providing a significant cash injection . Based on the simple income versus expenses equation , it ’ s highly unlikely a race organiser is greedy or ‘ just in it for the money .’ The sad reality is that no one in South Africa , not the athletes or the organisers , is currently getting rich off of road running .
About the Author
The Running Mann has run over 240 marathons and ultras , and his current mission is to run every marathon in South Africa . He recently fulfilled a lifetime goal of securing a shoe sponsorship from The Sweatshop Broadacres and Asics South Africa ( and a running kit sponsorship from Runderwear ), thus allowing him to run more races and share their stories . You can follow his adventures on Twitter , Facebook or Instagram , and on his popular blog .
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