Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2023

Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2023 2026 Course Analysis

Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2023 is a full marathon held in Cape Town, South Africa, scheduled for Sunday 24 May 2026. The course is run on trail surface with 207m of total elevation gain, reaching a maximum altitude of 50m above sea level. For registration and full race details, visit the official Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2023 website.

Elevation Profile

With 207m of elevation gain, this is a moderately undulating course. The route ranges from 2m to 50m above sea level (48m total range). While not completely flat, the elevation changes are manageable for most runners and shouldn't significantly impact pacing strategy.

Surface Type: Trail

Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2023 is a trail race, meaning the course includes unpaved surfaces such as dirt, gravel, or forest paths. Trail surfaces are inherently slower than road courses due to uneven footing, technical sections, and often steeper gradients. Trail-specific shoes with good grip are recommended, and runners should expect a finish time 10-20% slower than their equivalent road marathon time.

How Difficult Is Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2023?

Our difficulty rating for Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2023 is calculated using a model that combines elevation gain, temperature impact, and surface type. Use the difficulty calculator above to enter your target finish time and see exactly how many minutes this course would add or subtract compared to a perfectly flat, cool, road-based marathon. Faster runners and slower runners are affected differently by the same course conditions, so the difficulty is personalised to your pace.

Looking for an easier marathon or a tougher challenge? You can also compare Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2023 against other marathons to find the right race for your goals.