SOCIAL MEDIA

The Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon has a rich history of more than 50 years, so we asked our runners what tradition or heritage they particularly love, or would love to see brought back to the race.

ENTRIES …

Remove the ballot for the 56km, and block people from running both the 21km and 56km. – Seshabela Ratlabala

Runners shared their thoughts on the race merchandise

Better exit signs at the finish, please. I’ m not from Cape Town and got lost, so I had to walk another 10km, and each marshal pointed me in the direction where I just came from. – Petro Badenhorst

Allow more entries. Other international races have 50,000-plus, so surely this is possible, and then there would be no ballot, or the system crashing, and it will encourage novices and non-club runners. – Hettie Booysen

Get rid of the ballot system. Too many families facing disappointment when one member gets an entry and not the other. – Jennifer and Eon Jooste

Do away with the ballot system and reintroduce the registration number cap system. THE ROUTE … This is the tried and tested practice in the running fraternity. – Olebogeng Digwamaje When I ran my first Two Oceans Half in 2013,

Southern Cross Drive seemed flatter, as I ran most of it. In more recent years, I have had

THE EXPO … to walk it. Please can you flatten it again like before? – Grant Schuleman

Affordable race merch, please. – Julia Mart

The posters, encouraging us. – Judy Rizzo

Parking 5km from the pick-up point is not on, and quality T-shirts that actually resemble the size chart, with no weird colors like the kapoen REFRESHMENTS … colour we had this year. – Hettie Booysen

Serious consideration to be given to the goodie bag. – Olebogeng Digwamaje

Bring back inexpensive merch. I bought these inexpensive shades with Two Oceans branding, which I love, and a keychain from my first run in 2016. Not everyone can spend hundreds of Rands on branded gear. – Tarryn Carla Arendse

THE START …

The tradition of runners starting in the batch assigned to them. – Garrin Lambley

Blowing of the fish horn at the start of the race. – Garth Littlewood

Strict batch number checks. – Pieter Claassens

Watching the Chicago Marathon recently, you could not miss seeing the water points and how they were stacked. Twenty tables on each side of the road, stacked three cups high with thin correx boards between them. Two Oceans ultra this year had the first water point at 5km and had four tables set up. You can get 300 cups on a table so that’ s 1200 cups for 14,000 runners. You can NEVER replenish quickly enough. – Ian Benson

Bring back ice creams at the top of Constantia Neck. – Wouter van der Heever

Water sachets, not the ineffective cups. People dehydrate and DNF due to the cup system. – Andre van Wyk

Why is there not a beer tent and live music at the finish of the race? – Stefan de Villiers

FUN RUNS …

The fun runs! Two Oceans has lost the family atmosphere it had a few years ago. – Raymunde Mizon

The Fun Runs. I wanted my daughter to do the toddler and kids races, but she missed out. Those were all part of the weekend experience. – Amanda Letecia

TRAIL RUNS …

Have the Trail Runs back the way they were, the day before the Ultra and Half. It was always such a prestigious and well-organised event, and most enjoyable. – Edna Reid Ytier

Trail Runs to start and finish at UCT sports fields again. Finishing in front of the stands was one of my most surreal and emotional moments. – Peter Roos

MARKETING …

Bring back“ The World’ s Most Beautiful Marathon” as the race slogan. Globally, there are not many races that can make that claim, but Two Oceans lives up to the promise. The slogan taps into aspiration and emotion – two powerful drivers in branding.“ Conquer the Current” is vague and disconnected from the running experience. Suitable for a surf ski event, not Two Oceans. – Andrew Maggs

14 Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon 2026 The Two Oceans Team truly appreciates all the thoughtful feedback you sent in, as we continue working to bring back that special Two Oceans spirit.

Sadly, some ideas and requests are simply not possible, but we will give consideration to those that can be accommodated.