Township 2 Township Marathon 42km returns!
Following a nine-year hiatus, the Ethekwini Township to Township event will reintroduce the 42km Marathon distance for the 2026 edition of the race which is scheduled for October 11th. The race route navigates through some of Durban’s most well-known townships, commencing in KwaMashu, proceeding past Chesterville, to finish at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi. In addition to the standard marathon, the event also features a Half Marathon distance for runners preferring shorter distances. Race Organiser Sihle Shange says the return of the 42km distance for the first time since 2017 is long overdue.
"I'm happy that this year's Township to Township Marathon will have a full marathon again. This is good news for the runners who love the long distances. It also gives runners an early chance to qualify for both the Comrades and Two Oceans Marathons,” he told #TheTopRunner.
The return of the marathon is a welcome development for a race with a rich history of hosting some of the country's best ultra marathon athletes. Hosted by the Sisonke Athletic Club, the Township 2 Township Marathon whose main event was a 50km event before it was made a 42km race, boasts a list of past winners which include some of the sport's most celebrated athletes. Three-time Comrades Marathon Bongmusa Mthembu, Comrades gold medalist Prodigal Khumalo, and Two Oceans gold medalist Melly Kennedy. According to Shange, aftre the loss of their title sponsor Metropolitan, budget constraints forced them to cut the standard marathon from the event programme.
"The likes of Mthembu and Prodigal have won this race in the past so to see the marathon being removed hurt me deeply but I had no control over it. We didn't had enough sponsors in order to stage it. This year, we are lucky that there are people who came on board to make it happen. Yet it’s still not enough as we are still looking for other sponsors to take this race to the next level," he said.
In recognition of October as a cancer awareness month, the race has chosen to use its platform to contribute to Cancer awareness. Consequently, they have decided to donate 10 percent of the entry fees to assist with the medical bills of renowned commentator Cuan Walker who is suffering from cancer.
"We have been pushing Cancer awareness for years now in our race. Now with Cuan Walker, whom I have known since we were juniors suffering - I have decided that we are going to contribute to his medical bills. I know people have started to put donations but the money required is huge and the more we come together the better. We want to assist our brother that many people in the running space love,” he concluded.
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