Johannesburg Marathon Race Prep

Johannesburg City Marathon: a hilly out-and-back course in Johannesburg. Pacing by section, fueling, and race-day tips.

Use TrainPace to plan a simple, repeatable strategy for Johannesburg Marathon: pacing targets, fueling basics, and course/elevation awareness.

Pace calculator: training zones + race pace
Fuel planner: carbs/hour + gel timing
Elevation analysis: hills, grades, and difficulty

How to prepare for Johannesburg Marathon

Plan pacing, fueling, and course strategy for Johannesburg Marathon using free calculators and GPX elevation analysis.

Pick a realistic goal time: Use a recent race result or time trial to set a starting point.
Set training paces: Calculate easy, tempo, threshold, and interval paces for your training block.
Build a fueling plan: Estimate carbs/hour and gel timing that you can practice in long runs.
Review course elevation: Upload a GPX to spot key climbs and decide where to adjust effort.

Johannesburg City Marathon course guide

The Johannesburg City Marathon is run by the Johannesburg Harriers Athletics Club and was formerly called the Jackie Gibson Marathon. It starts and finishes at the Klipriviersberg Recreation Centre in Kibler Park, south of the city. Part of the route runs on the M1 highway, which is closed to traffic for the race.

Johannesburg City Marathon at a glance
Fact	Value
Location	Johannesburg, South Africa
Distance	42.195 km (marathon)
Usually held	March
Course	hilly, out-and-back
Official site	https://www.facebook.com/JackieGibsonMarathon/

Course highlights

Start and finish at Klipriviersberg Recreation Centre, Kibler Park
Closed M1 highway section with views of the city and Gold Reef City
Nelson Mandela Bridge in Braamfontein
Constitution Hill, the high point of the course at 1,788 m above sea level, just before the 25 km mark

Johannesburg City Marathon pacing strategy

The first kilometres are gentle and mostly downhill, so it is easy to start too fast. The long climb onto the R82 and M1 and the climb at Constitution Hill cost time, so run them by effort, not by pace.

Pacing by course section
Section	Terrain	Advice
km 0–4	Gentle, mostly downhill through Kibler Park	Start a little slower than goal pace and save your legs for the climb.
km 4–13	Climb onto the R82 and M1 highway	The toughest hill of the day is here, about 180 m of climbing over four kilometres; shorten your stride and keep the effort steady.
km 13–25	Closed highway and city centre, with Constitution Hill near km 25	Expect to slow down on the Constitution Hill climb and aim to keep your effort even.
km 25–42.2	Return towards Kibler Park	Check your fuel and fluids early, then use any downhill sections to find your rhythm again.

Fueling notes

A 2024 race report says the first 4 km are easy and the big climb begins soon after, so take a gel before the climb onto the R82. Do not rely only on aid stations; check the official race guide for their positions.

Race-day tips

Johannesburg is high above sea level (the course peaks at 1,788 m), so run by effort and not by pace if you live at sea level
The closed M1 highway section has less to look at than city streets, so be ready to stay focused
The race is an official Comrades Marathon qualifier, so check the qualifying rules if that is your goal
Check the access notes before race day: a race report says the M1 South was closed from 3 am, so some runners had to use another road to reach the start

Frequently asked questions

Is the Johannesburg City Marathon flat?

No. A 2024 race report describes a 180 m climb over four kilometres after about km 4, and a running guide says Constitution Hill takes the course to 1,788 m above sea level just before 25 km.

Where does the Johannesburg City Marathon start and finish?

Both start and finish are at the Klipriviersberg Recreation Centre in Kibler Park, south of central Johannesburg.

When is the Johannesburg City Marathon held?

It is usually held on a Sunday in March.

Facts checked 2026-10 against the sources below. Race details change from year to year — confirm with the official site before race day.

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