YOUR NOVEMBER QUALIFIER MARATHONS
The November running calendar looks a little different this year with Soweto moving to the end of the month which leaves one of the most popular qualifier marathons on the calendar, Kaapsehoop, as the sole option on the first weekend. Mpumalanga is the province of fast, downhill marathons and Kaapsehoop is the oldest and best known of these. The race features a picturesque start amongst the wild horses in the village of Kaapsehoop and then plummets 928m to the finish at the Mbombela Stadium.
The second weekend is jam packed with five excellent options. My pick for those who want an out of town marathon would be the Bonkolo Marathon in Komani (formerly Queenstown). The race is centred around the Bonkolo Dam and features plenty of exquisite Eastern Cape countryside. There are a few big climbs with the highlight being a trip up and down the Longhill Nature Reserve.
Sani Stagger is a bucket list out-and-back race and the toughest road marathon on the calendar. Set amongst the Maloti Drakensberg World Heritage Site, this is one of the most scenic marathons in the country. The route takes you from the foot of the iconic Sani Pass to the summit over a journey of 21 kilometres and a climb of 1,400m. The steady pull to the escapement culminates with the steepest section as a leg-shattering series of switchbacks lets you gaze down at the runners behind you before reaching the turnaround point just over the South African border post. Your reward along the way are brilliant views of the Drakensberg Mountains and, if you bring your passport, you can have a quick drink at the highest pub in Africa just over the Lesotho border (an altitude of 2,876m) before heading back down the old donkey pass.
Your other options this weekend are a chance to experience two laps of purple ran at Tshwane’s Jacaranda City Marathon, the fast and flat Hope Challenge Marathon which (like most of Durban’s marathons) centres itself around the Durban Promenade and Amphitheatre and the Cheetahs Mthatha Marathon where you can rock the rolling hills and enjoy some village hospitality.
In the middle of the month you can take a trip to the middle of South Africa for the Northridge Mall Marathon in Bloemfontein which is a moderate circular route or head to the Weesgerus Resort in Modimolle for the out-and-back Waterberg Marathon. This has some challenging climbs and the event runs in a 3-in-1 format (like Kosmos) so you can supersize your weekend with a lunchtime half marathon and late afternoon 10km if you wish.
The penultimate weekend of November is another busy one with four great choices. You can take on the Magoebaskloof Plunge which I’ve dubbed the Limpopo rollercoaster. This is officially a downhill marathon from Haenertsburg to Tzaneen but don’t let the profile fool you. On paper, the route looks easy – who can complain with a finish that is 700m lower than your starting altitude? On tar, it’s a totally different prospect – with 574m of elevation gain to conquer and most of the downhill occurring over six short quad crushing kilometres down the Magoeba Pass that absolutely annihilates your legs before you even reach the halfway mark.
Die Vlakte is another lovely point-to-point marathon from Heidelberg to the beach at Witsand in the Western Cape. Starting at 100m above sea-level, you get all your climbing done over the first 10km before gently dropping down to the ocean at Witsand. Much of the route goes past farms with curious ostriches providing support.
The Volksrust Marathon has moved from its traditional January date. This is an up and down, out-and-back route with some of the best support tables in the country (and arrive at the start with enough time to enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee and rusk). A bit of dirt road running is thrown into the end of the loop for those that like to get off the tar for a bit. Make sure you leave room in your tog bag for the medal – it is by far the biggest in the country. The final option is the inaugural Kimberley Big Hole marathon but I do not have any information on the route at the time of writing.
The big change is that the Soweto Marathon has moved to the end of the month but the big question is whether the race will go ahead amidst all the squabbling for control from various stakeholders. I really hope it does as recreational running G.O.A.T. Julian Karp has earmarked this as his 1000th official marathon. As for the race itself, in my book it’s the best way to join the mile-high club: Run at an altitude of just over 1,600m and endure over 600m of climbing with most of the hard work crammed into the last half of the race. It’s also the best way to tour Johannesburg’s South Western Townships. Get out your guidebook and look for the eight landmarks along the way: Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Walter Sisulu Square, The Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Credo Mutwa Cultural Village, Morris Isaacson High School, June 16 Memorial Acre, Vilakazi Street and The Hector Pieterson Memorial.
Those in the Cape and upcountry folk who fancy a great weekend away have the Winelands Marathon which is run in and around the beautiful and historic town of Stellenbosch. This is the most famous wine growing region of South Africa and Helderberg Harriers deliver a Methode Cap Classique Marathon amongst the historic buildings and vineyards that characterise the region.
Saving the best for last is my favourite double-lapper on the calendar – the Bluff Marathon. This year the route has been refined with the removal of the oil refinery section and some route tweaking to get the field running directly alongside the ocean. If you want to finish the month with maximum street cred then this is the race to do – it’s ruff and tuff with zero fluff. However early entrants can get a really nice pair of customised Versus socks courtesy of title sponsor McNaught & Co whose director, Mark Leathers, is also the Comrades vice chair and a Versus socks fetishist.
Stuart Mann is the proud holder of Comrades Green Number 50252. He writes and blogs as ‘The Running Mann’. You can follow him on Facebook, X or Instagram and can read about his marathon running adventures at www.runningmann.com.
Full details of all November qualifiers can be found HERE
A complete list of all 2025 Comrades qualifier marathons and ultras can be found HERE
