Cape Town, ZA · April 2027
Two Oceans Marathon
Two Oceans Marathon: 56.38 km, 699 m of climbing. Course route, elevation, weather and a personalised pacing plan.
- Distance
- 56.38 km
- Elevation gain
- 699 m
- Typical temp
- 14–21 °C
- Cutoff
- 7:00:00
The short version
A brutal course
- ▸Big climbing day — 699 m up. Pace the ascents on effort, not the clock.
Next edition
April 2027
Typical race-day conditions
14–21 °C
We lock the real forecast into your plan in race week.
Course difficulty
BrutalDriven by 699 m of climbing, 645 m of quad-pounding descent, typical race-day heat (~18 °C). Harder than Marathon des Sables Legendary (9.0), easier than Big Sur International Marathon (9.7) — tougher than 71% of the races we cover.
Race data quality
Medium confidence
Last verified: source review pending
Course distance, climate, and broad course features are suitable for pacing previews. Elevation profiles and aid-station details are approximate and should be checked against the official race packet before race day.
Elevation profile
Verified profile
Paid strategy guardrail
Official race packet remains source of truth
- Official course GPX (goandrace) + Open-Elevation DEM
Step 1 · Free preview
See the course-adjusted plan first
Enter one recent result. The preview returns course cost, first splits, and fuel target from the deterministic engine and the current course data model.
VDOT
49.1
Estimate
4:40:09
Course cost
+18:56
Fuel target
90 g/h
First 5 km preview
full race locked
- km 15:04
- km 25:05
- km 35:20
- km 44:39
- km 54:43
First race free · then €7 Race Pass · no monthly subscription
Uses an approximate course model; verify final logistics against the official race packet.
Step 2 · Your full Two Oceans Marathon plan
The preview shows the shape. The plan races it for you.
Course preview
Free
what you see now
- ✓Difficulty score & course data
- ✓Course-cost & toughest km
- ✓Your first full plan free, ever
Race Pass
€7
one-time, this race
- ✓Every km split, weather-adjusted
- ✓Nutrition & fluid timeline
- ✓Heat, wind & sun race tactics
- ✓Danger zones + watch file (GPX)
- ✓Race-week forecast & reminders
Annual
€19
per year, every race
- ✓Everything in Race Pass
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- ✓Re-plan as your fitness changes
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Continue with approximate course data →Course elevation
699 m total gain · 645 m loss · max 274 m, min 0 m.
Fly the course
Sun & shade
Sun in your eyes
16 km
Sun on your back
6 km
Side / overhead
31 km
No strong glare or overhead-sun stretches at this start time — the sun stays mostly to the side.
Approximate — solar position from the route geometry and a 06:00:00 start (timezone estimated from longitude), for a mid-pack finishing time.
Signature sections
Chapman's Peak Drive
Spectacular cliffside coastal road; a sustained climb around km 28-34.
Constantia Nek
The decisive long climb near km 42-45 that breaks many runners late.
UCT finish
An undulating final stretch into the University of Cape Town.
Race overview
The Two Oceans 56 km ultra is a stunning loop around the Cape Peninsula from Newlands, Cape Town, famed for Chapman's Peak Drive and the brutal late climb over Constantia Nek. Run every Easter Saturday. The route measures 56.38 km with about 699 m of climbing and 645 m of descent (high point 274 m). It typically runs in April.
How hard is this course?
Reference table — how the Two Oceans Marathon compares to a flat sea-level course for four typical fitness levels. Computed from the route profile, mean course altitude, and typical race-week climate (18 °C / 75 % humidity). Your personal strategy uses your VDOT, per-km splits, nutrition timing, and the typical climate baseline for this static sample; paid strategies use Open-Meteo when a verified race date is inside the forecast window.
| Runner | Flat-course finish | Two Oceans Marathon finish | Course cost | Adjusted pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (VDOT 35) | 5:43:50 | 6:08:45 | +7.2% | 6:15/km |
| Intermediate (VDOT 45) | 4:40:29 | 5:00:49 | +7.2% | 5:06/km |
| Trained (VDOT 50) | 4:17:11 | 4:35:49 | +7.2% | 4:40/km |
| Competitive (VDOT 60) | 3:40:58 | 3:56:59 | +7.2% | 4:01/km |
Reference nutrition
For a 70 kg runner finishing in 4:35:49 at 18 °C. Adjust to your weight and tolerance — these are ISSN-window targets, not prescriptions.
- Carbs / hour
- 90 g
- Total carbs
- 414 g
- Fluid / hour
- 640 ml
- Sodium / hour
- 500 mg
FAQ
Get your personalized strategy
The numbers above are samples. Sign up free and get the full Two Oceans Marathon strategy from your VDOT, the current course model, Open-Meteo race-week forecast when available, and your nutrition preferences.
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Get my Two Oceans Marathon strategyRelated races
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- Diagonale des Fous· Saint-Pierre7822 m gain · typical 12–28 °CTwo Oceans Marathon vs Diagonale des Fous — which is harder? →
- Marathon des Sables Legendary· Merzouga2000 m gain · typical 18–38 °CTwo Oceans Marathon vs Marathon des Sables Legendary — which is harder? →
New to trail and ultra pacing? Start with our trail and ultra pacing guide or run the VDOT calculator.