The Cape Town Marathon is almost coming!, You and I plus another 24 000 runners will line up for 42.2 km through our beautiful city. Whether it’s your first marathon or your fastest, race day is all about trusting your preparation and enjoying the journey.
Pre-Race Day
In the build-up, keep things simple. Start by setting your goal, make it realistic and understand the route, to ensure it is measurable, remember be S.M.A.R.T about your goals. Spend time on your legs, with your longest long runs around 30–35 km, this is enough to prepare your legs without risking injury and strength training is VITAL for these events, not just the long runs. Use these upcoming weeks to test and fine-tune your nutrition and make sure all is prepped for race day, nothing new should appear on race day.
Race Day
When it comes to marathon morning, the golden rule is to stick to your plan. Get a good night’s sleep before, pace yourself from the start and don’t be tempted to suddenly change your strategy, shoes, nutrition or equipment. The excitement of the crowd can push you out too fast and be tempting, but hold back earlier to finish strong after that gruelling Seapoint loop. Most importantly, remember to enjoy it: soak up the atmosphere, the support, and the views.
Fueling is key and where many runners make or break their race. We recommend aiming for 60–90 g of carbohydrates per hour, paired with 500–1000 mg of sodium (depending on your sweat rate) and 300–600 ml of fluid per hour. Practice this in training, and on race day, focus on consistency, don’t wait until you’re tired to refuel.
Post-Race Day
Crossing the finish line is a moment to celebrate, but recovery starts immediately. Gentle stretching, foam rolling, and mobility work will help ease tight and tired muscles. Combining heat therapy, cryotherapy, or massage can further speed things up — and at the Enable Centre, we have recovery tools and HYPERICE products available to help you bounce back faster. Above all, keep moving in the days after; light walking is better than total rest.
Running a marathon is never just about the distance. It’s about the preparation, the resilience, and the joy of the day itself. So run smart, run strong — and most of all, enjoy every step.
Written by: Vishaan Makan
Head Biokineticist
Vishaan@enablecentre.org