While the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon has previously run 22km and 12km trail events , trailblazer Ryan Sandes has upped the ante , elevation and distance for 2021 ; replacing the 12km race with a brandnew and exciting 46km Cape Town Trail Marathon . The race takes place on Saturday 16 October , the day before the road marathon , and has a 10-hour cut-off . Sandes has celebrated many victories on both homeground and international terrain – with an impressive ultra-trail win on every continent . Despite the many mountains he has conquered , “ Table Mountain is home ,” he says , and “ one of the constants in my life ”. The Cape Peninsula mountains , with their undulating summits , deep descents and singletracks that snake across ridgelines and ravines , are “ my backyard where I work and play ”. The new Cape Town Trail Marathon summits the city ’ s iconic peaks , and includes 2 200 metres of vertical gain . The route starts at the Cape Town Stadium , climbs Signal Hill and then Lion ’ s Head , then heads up Platteklip Gorge to Table Mountain ’ s highest point at Maclear ’ s Beacon . From there it heads down Skeleton Gorge to loop through Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens before heading back up the front face of Devil ’ s Peak , across the front of Table Mountain and back along Lion ’ s Head and Signal Hill to a finish line at the Cape Town Stadium . Sandes says that while the 46km route is challenging , with its Platteklip and Devil ’ s Peak ascents , it is equally as rewarding . There is easy , flowing , runnable singletrack that weaves through the fynbos , with views and perspectives that showcase the belly and bustle of the city below , as well as sweeping views out over the Atlantic Ocean . Although the trails on Table Mountain are rather slowmoving , says Sandes , he has tried his my best to include more of a free-flowing run . He intends the race to showcase Cape Town ’ s landmarks with a good mix