One of the biggest springtime events in the Mother City is the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, when thousands of runners from across the globe will gather to explore our diverse suburbs and landmarks on foot.

While athletes train for months to run a marathon, marathon watching takes little to no effort at all. Residents living close to the route can simply walk or cycle to their nearest point along the route and cheer on the athletes as they run by.

We would love to transform the Sanlam Cape Town Route into the Mother City’s biggest block party from start to finish, but please be mindful of the road closures in place, and don’t drive to different points on the route and add to the strain on Cape Town’s traffic. Stay local and support locally! There is a spectator point for everyone, no matter where you live, work or visit along the route.

Here are our top picks to show your support on Sunday, 16 October.

The Start: While Granger Bay Boulevard will be closed to pedestrians, there will be an opportunity for locals to view all the start line action from the vicinity of Main Road and Buitengracht Street before runners take the N1/N2 outbound lane on the elevated freeway towards the N2. This area will be heavily controlled and some access points may be blocked. Please only use this option if you live nearby and can walk, or if you drive in with family or friends that are running.

6km: Woodstock – The 2nd hydration point is located at Victoria Road / Fairview Avenue. Runners will still be fresh, and the last athletes should pass here around 8am.

12km: c/o Claremont Blvd & Mill, Claremont – If your Sunday morning routine involves hitting the Virgin Active in Claremont, add to your workout by cheering on runners as they come past the 4th hydration point between 7am and 9am.

15km: Michael’s Restaurant & Rondebosch Park – Michael’s opens at 8am on Sunday – the perfect time to order a coffee and watch the marathon action from the sidewalk.

19km – 20km: Rondebosch Common – The loop around the Common can seem never-ending on Race Day, and runners need all the encouragement they can get as they approach the half-way mark.

25km – 27km: Albert Road / Newmarket Street, Salt River – This part of the route is straight and fast, but the mind games are starting to kick in and many marathoners start to question their life choices. We call on all the locals to cheer on these runners as they come through between 7am and 11am.

28.5km: c/o Chapel & Hanover, District Six – The marathon will go through the historic District Six for the first time, and the community couldn’t be more thrilled. Runners can look forward to some freshly made treats at the District Six community table, and they will appreciate your support as they pass. If you live in the area, take a walk down and contribute to the community spirit.

30km: Darling Street, District Six – The 450m stretch along Darling between Canterbury and Plein takes runners past the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, the Castle of Good Hope and the iconic City Hall where Nelson Mandela delivered his first speech as a free man in 1990. This is bound to be a hive of activity with awesome photo opportunities as participants run past Madiba’s statue on the City Hall balcony.

31km – 34km: Plein / St Johns / Hatfield; Orange Street & Long Street – These streets are easily accessible on foot by surrounding residents, and offer ample opportunities to motivate your favourite runners as they tackle the climb up to Orange Street. Bustling Long Street will be the hub of all the action though. Home to the adidas cheer zone, this point of the race is likely where many runners will hit the wall, and therefore the perfect place to encourage them as they tackle the last 10km to the finish. There are many coffee shops and restaurants along this stretch, and the majority of athletes pass here between 8am and 12pm. So sit back, order a drink, and get your cheer on.

35km: Green Point Main Road – With the KFM cheer zone situated at the 35.4km mark, runners can practically taste the finish before they are diverted back towards Sea Point for their final loop. From Giovannis to Jason’s and beyond – there are many brunch and lunch options available as you watch the runners do all the hard work. The road may be flat, but this flatness makes it unrelenting with no chance to rest those legs. Shout, cheer, encourage, give high fives… just don’t tell them the finish is around the corner!

40km: Beach Road / St John’s Road, Sea Point – The last few kms are always the hardest, and at this point most runners JUST. WANT. TO. FINISH. Project some of your positive vibes and energy their way as runners hit the final hydration station on the route, hosted by Sanlam, before they run / walk / limp to the finish. They’re almost done, and you can boost their spirits to get them to the end.

42km: Helen Suzman Drive, Green Point – There will be public seating on the finish line, available on a first come, first served basis. This is a great place to watch the drama unfold in the elite races early in the morning, and also a fantastic vantage point to follow the rest of the race.

Time It Well

Early birds are also encouraged to watch the Elite Wheelchair Division in action, and see some of the world’s best vie for gold.

Elite Wheelchair Race Starts: 06h00

Elite Race Starts: 06h15

Open Field Starts At 2-Minute Intervals Between: 06h17 and 07h10