Two Oceans Marathon 2027 training plan

What makes Two Oceans hard

The route runs along the False Bay coast, crosses to Noordhoek, then climbs Chapman's Peak and drops into Hout Bay. Constantia Nek follows late in the race, a long climb when most runners are already tired, before the run to the finish. Neither climb is extreme on its own; the challenge is arriving at them with something left. Cape Town in early April can be hot, and the wind can be strong.

The training phases

From mid-October, you have about 24 weeks. That suits a runner who already runs regularly and has run a marathon, or is about to.

The qualifier

The Ultra requires a qualifying marathon. Check twooceansmarathon.org.za for the 2027 time standard and qualifying window, and fit the race into your build rather than racing it all out.

Training for Chapman's and Constantia Nek

• Hills on tired legs. Plan long runs that save the hills for the second half. That is the only way to rehearse Constantia Nek.
• Hill repeats. A weekly session of repeats on a long, steady climb builds strength and teaches you to hold an even effort rather than an even pace.
• Power hiking. Walking the steepest sections is a sound strategy for many runners. Practise a strong uphill walk so it is a choice, not a collapse.
• Strength. Split squats, step-ups and calf raises twice a week. See the home strength guide for runners.

Fuelling and heat

Most runners take between five and seven hours. Aim for roughly 60 g of carbohydrate an hour and practise it on every long run so your stomach is used to it. Drink to thirst, take some sodium, and be ready to slow down if the day is hot. The nutrition tracking guide covers fuelling the training itself.

Two Oceans as a Comrades training run

Two Oceans is ten weeks before the 100th Comrades on 13 June 2027, and many Comrades runners use it as a long training run. If Comrades is your main goal, run Two Oceans at a controlled, conversational effort and treat the week after as recovery. Racing it flat out can cost you more training than it gives.

How SportMentor builds your Two Oceans plan

Tell your mentor you are running the Two Oceans Ultra on 4 April, whether it is your goal race or a step towards Comrades, and how many days a week you can train. It builds the plan from tomorrow to race day from your own training, whether that comes from Garmin, COROS, Polar, Suunto, Intervals.icu, Strava or Fitbit, or from sessions you log yourself, and adjusts the weeks ahead as your training goes.

• Hill sessions and long runs are placed around your week, not a generic template.
• Guided home strength sessions are built in and matched to your kit.
• Race-week fuelling follows the calendar: taper, carb-load, race day, recovery.

Build my Two Oceans plan →

Questions runners ask

Is 56 km a big step up from a marathon?

It is 14 km further with two serious climbs, so expect it to take noticeably longer than your marathon time plus 14 km at the same pace. With a well-built long-run block, a runner with a comfortable marathon behind them can finish well.

Should I run the Half instead?

The Half Marathon on Saturday 3 April is a great race in its own right, and a sensible goal if you are newer to running or short on training time.

This guide is general training information, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting an ultra-marathon build, especially if you have a heart condition, an injury or another health concern.