The bigger the race, the harder it hits your pocket – and this year the Two Oceans has taken an unwelcome ‘victory’ at the top of South Africa’s most expensive road races list.
The scent of Deep Heat may linger in the air, but it comes at a price!
R15 for every kilometre of the 56km course around the Cape Peninsula in fact.
Some relief for 2026 entrants
However, according to popular South African blogger, The Running Mann, there is some relief for next year’s Two Oceans runners.
Organisers have confirmed that the goodie bag will be significantly improved in 2026, while entry fees will not increase in either 2026 or 2027.
The Loskop Marathon sits in second place for now, though its position is unlikely to last. The race has substantially reduced its 2026 entry fee to R527, a move that will likely see it drop out of the top 10 altogether.
Cape Town Marathon rounds out the podium and is expected to become the most expensive rand-per-kilometre road race in South Africa next year.
While several major races have frozen or reduced their fees, Cape Town Marathon has increased its 2026 entry cost.
Despite holding its entry fee steady for another year, the Comrades Marathon ranks fourth on the list, followed by another ultra-distance heavyweight, Om Die Dam, in fifth place.
The Comrades Marathon remains the most expensive marathon or ultra marathon to enter in the country at R1 280 this year.
Cheaper than a trail race
If a runner were to enter all 10 races on the “most expensive” list, the total cost in entry fees alone would come to R6 633.
While that figure does remains significantly cheaper than running an overseas ‘major’ marathon – and even many local trail events – the upward trend is concerning.
By way of example, the recent Ultra Trail Cape Town (UTCT) 100 Miler (roughly 161km) cost R6 195 to enter. That’s around R38.50 per kilometre.
The Running Mann suggests that race organisers may need to explore more creative ways to contain costs, as, without intervention, continued increases risk excluding a growing portion of South Africa’s road-running community.
Top 10 most expensive South African marathons/ultras ranked by Rands/km:
How many of the above races have you completed?
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