Follow the Route
There is a new start to the race this year and it will impact slightly on how the race is run , remove a little of the work in the final 5km and give you a scenic finish with a cool ocean breeze ( or wind ) to bring you home .
The start is outside the iconic Cape Town Stadium , where you will drop slightly downhill for a too quick start to Beach Road . Starting too fast is normal , but you need to get that under control early along Beach Road as you head to the postcard-perfect lighthouse in Mouille Point .
It ’ s nice and flat through this section , where you will hang a left into Helen Suzman Boulevard . There ’ s a slight up to the flying saucer traffic circle , and then a fast down into town to Long Street , which on race day will live up to its name with a drag starting at approximately 6km and ending at around 8km . You ’ ll then drop down Plein Street for just over 2km . Run this section wisely , pulling back on the up and relaxing and using the down .
You then head into potentially the toughest part of the marathon , warmed up , and hopefully feeling good . It ’ s a slight drag all the way to Rondebosch at roughly the 16km mark . It ’ s also the place you are likely to have to work the hardest against the prevailing wind , if it blows . If it is windy , relax , tuck in behind someone if you can , but know that by taking it easy now you can capitalise on fresh legs from roughly 25-35km .
It ’ s a quick drop from Rondebosch to Newlands , so if the wind isn ’ t blowing , you can get into a nice rhythm , up past Kelvin Grove and down past the Newlands cricket ground . This is my personal favourite as it feels like you ’ ve turned to home , the tree-lined streets are cool and alive with spectators . This is also where you start to hit the runners ’ high – use it as a reminder to fuel up and to stay patient a little longer as you are only entering the early 20s . You will turn into the suburbs for a bit of a rollercoaster loop . Some short , sharp ups and downs are the feature until you hit Rondebosch Common . The wind can really get cranky here and leave you worried about your ability to close . Panic not , on a prevailing day you are 3km from having the wind push you just about all the way home . You have just gone into the mid 20s .
The next 10km through Mowbray , Observatory and Woodstock are not the most exciting , but they are the easiest , so get into a groove , tag onto a good group and let them suck the kays along as you start building the confidence that you can finish in your target time .
Roughly 35km in you will hit the city centre , earlier and fresher than in the past . You can maintain a steady rhythm through the city streets and across the Waterkant pedestrian bridge over Buitengracht Street . There will be no stairs but it is steep , and we have factored in a short walk to save your legs for the final push .
The next bit along Green Point into Sea Point is new territory , but generally pretty flat , with beautiful ocean views and a cool sea breeze that should see you finishing with a bounce ( come on , a small one ) in your step . Wow , I hope reading this has you as pumped as I got writing this . I can ’ t wait to toe the line and crush the Sanlam Cape
Town Marathon on race day .
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