South Africa
Lesotho
Namibia
Botswana
eSwatini
Zimbabwe
Date
Sun, 18 Oct 2026
Start 05:30
Verified
2026
Road
ASA · WPA
Nelson Mandela Marathon
Organised by Itheko SAC
Verified 28 May 2026 · Last updated 24 Sep 2026
Marathon
Half Marathon
10km
5km
Verified 3mos ago — details confirmed by the organiser.
About this event
The 2026 Nelson Mandela Marathon takes place on Sunday, 18 October 2026, from 05:30, at Grand Parade in Cape Town, Western Cape. Distances are 42.2km, 21.1km, 10km and 5km. Online entries are open. It is a qualifying event for both the Comrades Marathon and the Two Oceans Marathon. Details for this event have been verified by RunningCalendar.
Incorportaing the Slave Route Challenge.
The marathon is a Comrades & Two Oceans Qualifier.
Distances & fees
Distances, start times, cut-offs and entry fees.
Sunday
18 Oct 2026
| Distance | Entry Fee | Temp Licence | Junior | Type | Start | Cut-off | Details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson Mandela Marathon | ZAR 700 | ZAR 105 | — | Road | 05:30 | — | |||||||||||||
Comrades
Two Oceans
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Slave Route Challenge 10km Run & Fun Walk | ZAR 190 | ZAR 60 | ZAR 150 | Run / Walk | 06:45 | — | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Slave Route Challenge 5km Fun Run & Walk | ZAR 80 | — | — | Run / Walk | 07:45 | — | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Slave Route Challenge Half-Marathon | ZAR 260 | ZAR 95 | — | Road | 08:30 | — | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Temporary ASA licence fee — only payable if you are not a member of an affiliated running club.
Merchandise
T-Shirt
A beautifully designed commemorative t-shirt is part of your entry fee
Price TBC
How to enter
Information on how to enter this event.
Online entries
On the day entries
No entries available on race day.
Number collection
Collection venues, dates and times.
City Hall, Darling Street
Fri, 16 Oct 2026 · 10:00–20:00
Sat, 17 Oct 2026 · 09:00–16:00
Race Day Information
Practical information for race day.
Running with Earphones
No headphones permitted on the route — race rules.
Handouts
Medals to all athletes who finishes within the cut-off time
Medical
Medical support stationed on route and at the finish.
Timing
Electronic chip timing for all distances.
Tog Bag
Tog bag drop-off available at the start.
Toilets
Portable toilets at the start, finish, and on the route.
Water Points
Water points every ~3 km along the route.
START: All routes will start in Strand Street
Route maps & elevation
Route maps and elevation profiles.
Nelson Mandela Marathon
Slave Route Challenge Half-Marathon
Slave Route Challenge 10km Run & Fun Walk
Slave Route Challenge 5km Fun Run & Walk
Location
Where the event starts and how to get there.
Grand Parade, Darling Street
Get directionsGet notified
Follow this event
We'll let you know when online entries open, the date changes, or results are loaded — no account needed.
Want this on WhatsApp? It's part of ad-free.
Contact the organiser
Organiser
Nelson Mandela Marathon Contact
Send a message to the organiser and they'll reply to the email you provide.
Accommodation
Places to stay near the start. Booking through this map supports RunningCalendar at no extra cost to you. Affiliate
Training programs
Hand-picked training pathways to get you to the start line ready.
Coach Parry
Structured, app-delivered plans for every distance from 5 km to Comrades — daily workouts, pace targets, Strava sync and a South African coaching community.
Affiliate · disclosed Join NowOwnMyRun · Gerda Steyn
Free, self-guided training plans built by Comrades & 2 Oceans champion Gerda Steyn — a great starting point if you want structure without a subscription.
View plansEnergy Lab
A South African running community with a built-in training app — adaptive plans whose paces recalculate as you get fitter, plus club runs, results and event RSVPs. Free while in beta.
Join Energy LabYou may also like
The GRATITUDE Run
24 Sep 2026
20km Trail
10km Trail
5km
Run as One powered by Nantes AC
24 Sep 2026
10km
5km
Mbekweni 10km and 5km Fun Run and Family Day
24 Sep 2026
10km
5km
Hessequa Heritage Trail Run
26 Sep 2026
16km Trail
5km Trail
Heritage Run with Goodwood Harriers
26 Sep 2026
10km
5km
Paarlberg Half Marathon
26 Sep 2026
Half Marathon
10km
5km
Past editions
FromZAR 80
Enter Now
