Know your race
Cape Town's big races and what they demand
Cape Town's big road races each place different demands on your body, and so does the training it takes to get there.
- March
Cape Town Marathon
A fast, mostly flat city marathon that draws runners from around the world. Wind can play a big part on the day, and it falls only weeks before Two Oceans.
Demands: Long runs and pace work through the summer heat, and marathon-specific mileage
- Autumn, usually over the Easter weekend
Two Oceans Marathon
The 56 km Ultra and the half marathon. The Ultra route loops the southern Peninsula and includes the long climbs of Chapman's Peak and Constantia Nek.
Demands: High weekly mileage, hill strength, and the descents that follow each climb
- Through to June
Comrades build-up
Many Cape Town runners race the Cape Town Marathon and Two Oceans as part of their build-up to Comrades in KwaZulu-Natal, leaving little time to recover between races.
Demands: Three big races in one season, with little recovery time between them
- Year-round
Half marathons, 10 km races and parkrun
Shorter races and weekly parkruns are where many runners start, and where speed work often begins.
Demands: Faster running, which loads calves, Achilles and hamstrings
Training in Cape Town adds its own load
- Summer heat and the south-easter through the build-up to both the Cape Town Marathon and Two Oceans
- Peak training over the December holidays, when routines and mileage often change suddenly
- Hill sessions on climbs like Chapman's Peak and Constantia Nek, and the downhills that come with them
- Popular flat routes, such as the Sea Point Promenade, that make it easy to add mileage quickly
What we see
Common road running injuries
Runner's knee
Why: High mileage and downhill running load the front of the knee and kneecap.
Signs: Pain around or behind the kneecap, worse on downhills, stairs or after sitting.
ITB syndrome
Why: Repetitive knee bending over long distances, cambered roads and downhills.
Signs: Sharp pain on the outside of the knee that comes on at a predictable point in a run.
Achilles tendinopathy
Why: Increases in mileage, speed work or hills — and a common problem in masters runners.
Signs: Pain and morning stiffness at the back of the heel or lower calf.
Read the tendon guideCalf strains
Why: Faster running and fatigue late in long runs; more common with age.
Signs: A sudden grab or pull in the calf mid-run, often with tightness afterwards.
Shin pain (shin splints)
Why: Building mileage too quickly, especially for newer runners.
Signs: Aching along the inner shin that eases as you warm up. Pain on one specific spot needs checking.
Bone stress injuries
Why: Training load increasing faster than bone can adapt — common in race build-ups. Low energy intake is a major risk factor.
Signs: Pain on a specific spot (shin, foot or hip) that worsens with running and may ache at rest or at night. Groin or deep hip pain when running needs prompt assessment. Don't run through this.
Plantar heel pain
Why: High mileage, worn shoes and tight or weak calves.
Signs: Pain under the heel with the first steps in the morning.
Hamstring and hip tendon pain
Why: Speed work, hills and long runs load the hamstring and gluteal tendons.
Signs: Deep buttock pain near the sitting bone, or outer hip pain, sometimes worse lying on that side.
Read the tendon guide
Prevention
Reducing your risk through the season
Build mileage gradually
Increase weekly distance steadily, build in easier weeks, and avoid adding mileage, speed and hills all at once.
Plan your race season
Pick your goal races and leave enough time to recover between them — the Cape Town Marathon, Two Oceans and Comrades all fall within a few months of each other.
Strength train year-round
Calf, quad, hip and core strength makes your body more resilient to high mileage and hills.
Fuel your training
Eating enough to match your training load protects your bones, hormones and recovery.
Look after your shoes
Replace worn shoes, and make changes to footwear gradually rather than just before a big race.
Nothing new on race day
Use the shoes, kit, drinks and gels you trained with, and adjust your pace for heat and wind.
Your recovery pathway
Getting you back to running
- 1Diagnosis and medical management
Dr. Janesh Ganda
A full assessment of your injury, ultrasound or other imaging where needed, a clear diagnosis, and a plan to keep you training where it's safe and get you to your start line.
- 2End-phase rehab and coaching
Brad Williams Sports Science
Once you are ready, strength training and running-specific coaching to rebuild capacity, return you to full training, and prepare you for race day.
Both practices are at 55 Scott Road, Observatory, so moving from diagnosis to end-phase rehab is simple.
Rehab partnerBrad Williams Sports ScienceEnd-phase rehabilitation and coaching for runners, at 55 Scott Road, Observatory.Offers:AssessmentStrength trainingRunning programmesOnline coachingSports massageVisit Brad Williams Sports ScienceGetting help
When to see a sports physician
Book an assessment if you have:
- Pain that changes the way you run, or that is getting worse rather than better
- Pain on a specific spot on a bone, especially if it aches at rest or at night
- Groin or deep hip pain that comes on with running
- Pain that has not settled after 1–2 weeks of reduced running
- An injury that is threatening your build-up to a goal race
Questions
Road running injuries: frequently asked questions
Should I run through pain?
Mild discomfort that settles quickly can be acceptable for some problems, such as many tendon issues. Pain that changes how you run, keeps getting worse, or sits on a specific spot on a bone should not be run through — get it assessed.
I'm injured and my race is a few weeks away. What should I do?
Get assessed early. Many injuries can be managed so you can keep training in some form, and the sooner you have a diagnosis, the more options you have for getting to the start line — or for making a safe decision not to race.
Can I run the Cape Town Marathon, Two Oceans and Comrades in the same season?
Many runners do, but with the three races only weeks to a few months apart, recovery and training load need careful planning. Prioritise your goal race, and have niggles checked between races before you build again.
How long should I take off after a marathon or ultra?
It varies with the race and how you feel, but plan for some easy days followed by a gradual return over the next few weeks. Rushing back into hard training is a common cause of injury.
Do I need to stop running completely?
Often not. Many running injuries can be managed by reducing mileage, speed or hills, or cross-training, while you rehabilitate. Your plan will set out what is safe.
Where is the practice?
Dr. Janesh Ganda consults at 55 Scott Road, Observatory, Cape Town — the same building as Brad Williams Sports Science. Consultations can be booked via WhatsApp.