The 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was truly a milestone event. While it was my slowest marathon to date, it was also one of the most significant. The course was harder under the autumn sun compared to the previous year’s cooler October temps; the warmer conditions added an additional layer of challenges to the experience.

Despite my slower time, crossing the finish line felt better than ever. An additional reward arrived a couple of weeks later when the Abbott World Marathon Majors officially confirmed that Cape Town has been added as the eighth Marathon Major. Having my finish be part of this historic evolution is a massive honour. Every runner that completed the race received a provisional star, which have already been upgraded, and it feels incredible to have Africa’s first Major officially secured on my journey to my six (and hopefully one day my nine) stars.

Looking Ahead: The Path to Berlin

With the excitement of Cape Town behind me, my focus is now shifting toward the next big adventure. As mentioned in previous posts, I am heading to Berlin this September.

My strategy to prevent marathon burnout involves a two-phase transition to bridge the gap between my recent recovery and the peak demands of marathon training.

Phase 1: Six-Week 5k

Before jumping into high-mileage volume, I am dedicating six weeks to a faster 5k plan. The goal here is simple:

• Reintroduce Intensity: Use shorter, faster intervals to sharpen my leg turnover and improve my lactate threshold. My speed and V02Max have suffered with the back-to-back marathon blocks.
• Efficiency: Focus on form and economy, which will serve me well for my longer efforts later in the year.
• Transition: This provides a focused block that builds confidence and speed without the fatigue associated with those heavy marathon blocks.

Phase 2: A 10-Week Marathon Block

Once the speed base is locked in, I will transition into my 10-week marathon plan. This block will hopefully move me from raw speed to endurance and race-pace consistency.

• Volume Progression: A controlled ramp-up in weekly mileage to ensure my body handles the load.
• Marathon Pace Work: Integrating long runs that finish at or near target marathon pace to simulate the final miles in Berlin.
• Berlin Specifics: Training with a focus on flat and fast terrain, mirroring the legendary course profile I expect in September.

This is a very busy race year for me (one of hopefully many). There is something special about moving from the inaugural major status of Cape Town directly into the historic streets of Berlin. I am eager to see how this blend of speed work and marathon specific training translates on race day.