The Two Oceans Marathon is a 56 kilometres (35 mi) ultramarathon and 21 kilometres (13 mi) half-marathon held annually in Cape Town, South Africa on the Saturday(Ultra) and Sunday(Half) the weekend after Easter weekend. It was previously held on Easter weekend.
Known globally as "the world's most beautiful marathon",[1] the race is run against a backdrop of spectacular scenery through the Cape Peninsula.
Both races start in Newlands. The Ultra Marathon follows a more or less circular route through Muizenberg, Fish Hoek, over Chapman's Peak, through Hout Bay and Constantia Nek, and eventually finishes at the University of Cape Town campus. On occasions when Chapman's Peak Drive has been closed due to construction or rock falls, the Ultra Marathon has followed an alternative route over Ou Kaapse Weg.
The Half Marathon takes runners along Edinburgh Drive (the M3 highway), before turning into forest roads past Kirstenbosch (where runners meet up with Ultra Marathon participants) and finishing at the University of Cape Town campus.
Since its inaugural edition in 1970, the event has grown. Selling out every year, the Half Marathon sees some 16,000 participants (making it the biggest half marathon in South Africa), while 11,000 athletes tackle the 56 km Ultra Marathon.
In addition to the main events, other events take place the day before (Good Friday):
Approximately 6 000 runners - including toddlers and young children with their families - take part in various fun runs
