The Running Mann’s Guide to February 2026 Marathons

After the January warm-up, marathon running hits its stride in February with 23 confirmed qualifier marathons. With so many great options all around the country you really are spoilt for choice.

1-8 February

The shortest month of the year kicks off quietly on Sunday the first with just the Aquelle Joburg North City Marathon on offer. The race offers two gently undulating laps around the shady suburbs of northern Joburg. This is one of the cheapest marathons in Gauteng and also one of the few to allow race day entries.

The first Saturday of the month caters for those most of the inland runners. A good weekend away option is the Jock of the Bushveld City of Mbombela Marathon run between Barberton and Mbombela. There are plenty of testing climbs to provide ideal training for Comrades’ hills and you can distract yourself by looking for wildlife as you run past several nature reserves.

The Mapungubwe Marathon provides a pleasant out-and-back tour into the Limpopo countryside outside Polokwane. The race gets its name from the ancient heritage of the local people. The Kingdom of Mapungubwe was a medieval state that existed from about 1030 to 1290 and preceded the Kingdom of Great Zimbabwe. The Mapungubwe civilisation provided the origins of the Sotho-Tswana, Shona and Venda peoples.

The final Saturday option is the Kloppers Marathon. This is a flat, no fuss, single-lap route around Bloemfontein and is a very popular qualifier in central South Africa,

There is just one hill in Klerksdorp and of course the Klerksdorp Marathon organisers make sure you get to run it twice over their double-lap route. Despite this, the marathon still has one of the lowest elevations on the calendar (252m) and the route is designed to provide plenty of shade and as little traffic as possible. In 2025, Klerkdorp was the South African race that resulted in the fastest average Comrades qualification time (3:50:30).

Those who want a Comrades teaser should check out the Hillcrest Marathon which provides two-laps of terror (in beautiful surroundings) for those wanting to get a taste of the hills on this section of the Comrades route. If you ever wondered what a real avenue of trees looks like, Hillcrest is the place to find out. The route provides the astute runner an opportunity to get acquainted with the undulations and atmosphere they’ll encounter on their way up to Pietermaritzburg during Comrades later in the year. 

14-15 February

What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than doing what you love with the people you love? If you are fortunate enough to have a running partner in the literal sense then a romantic weekend in Secunda, Polokwane, Richards Bay, Knysna, Cato Ridge or Cape Town should be on the cards (admittedly some of those locations are more exotic than others).

On Valentine’s Day itself you have Secunda Marathon (your standard, flat, industrial double-lapper with a few undulations along the way), CDM Polokwane (a moderate, mostly out-and-back route around Limpopo’s capital city), Richards Bay Minerals (a flat out-and-back route in northern KZN) and Knysna Heads. Flat and beautiful don’t often go together but the Knysna Heads marathon gets full marks on both counts. The highest point on the route is just 30m above sea level. This is a tranquil tour around the Knysna Lagoon which hugs the water for all but 2.4 km of the entire route.

Sunday sees the oldest standard marathon in the country, Balwin Peninsula, return for a 58^th edition. Run from Green Point to Simon’s town with plenty of coastal views, this is one of the flattest February options and a really easy qualifier… unless the dreaded South Easter wind blows. Your second Sunday option is Zabalaza – a double-lapper in KZN’s Cato Ridge area.

21-22 February

Another of the Balwin marathon series, Balwin Pretoria, headlines this weekend. Phobians’ race in the nation’s capital is one of the tougher marathons out there. The double-lap route winds you up Waterkloof Ridge and to the top of Klapperkop Hill before murdering your quads with a rapid descent that takes you all the way into the beautiful grounds of Pretoria Boys’ High School. 

The two other Sunday options are Gauteng’s Legends Township (a flat double-lapper that takes in several points of interest and historic sites like Walter Sisulu Square where the Freedom Charter was signed in 1955) and the Capital City Marathon. The latter provides the opportunity to set off in front of the iconic Pietermaritzburg City Hall for those nostalgic to experience the site of the Comrades Down Run start line.

If you prefer to get you long run done on Saturday, this weekend has three options: Thru the Karoo (a new point-to-point marathon that finishes in Graaff-Reinet), the Anco 48k Ultra (a pancake flat triple-lapper around Welkom for those that want to work on their mental game) and TWK Assegaai. This is a superb out-and-back race hosted in Piet Retief (close to the eSwatini border). The route is really simple – you run all the way to the Assegaai River and then you turn around and run back again. The first 8km provides a gentle climb and then you have a long gentle decline before a final plummet to the river. This means that the Assegaai stabs you in the back with lots of climbing over the second half.

28 February

The final Saturday of the month has five fantastic choices. It’s downhill derby time with Cango (run from the world famous Cango Caves to the Infantry School in Oudtshoorn with large flocks of ostriches providing support along the way) and TRACN4 Elands. Elands was the second most popular qualifier used for the 2025 event and, with Cape Town Marathon’s cancellation, I expect it will be #1 for the Comrades 2026. The race is exceptionally well organised and provides stunning scenery as you plummet from Waterval-Boven to Ngodwana.

The introverts will want to check out South Africa’s smallest marathon, Upington Wes, which had just 16 finishers at their inaugural run in 2025. The circular route takes one along the Orange River and skirts the Kalahari Desert.

The Free State provides your final two choices. Mimosa Mall is a fairly flat double-lapper in Bloemfontein. You do your biggest climb (60m) over the first 3km of the lap and then gently undulate for the remainder. The finish is also the lowest point on the route so after the first hill it really is “all downhill from here!”

If you like your mielies buttered on both sides head to Reitz for the Bielie Mielie Marathon which forms part of a weekend sporting and cultural festival. The out-and-back route is run over undulating country roads while competitors take in the atmosphere of the eastern Free State. Those who want to do a bit of cross training can take part in the ‘Boeresport-kompetisie’ later on Saturday afternoon together with your favourite South African soap opera stars. Activities include eiergooi (egg-tossing), mieliepit eet (competitive corn consumption), sakresies (sack races), trekkerband trek (tractor tyre pull) and baaldra (hay bale tossing).