About Us

Welcome to Runners Platform, a South African running blog for people who enjoy the sport and want to keep learning along the way.

Running fits into our lives in different ways. Some people start to improve their health. Others enjoy the company of a club run, the quiet of an early morning or the challenge of preparing for a race. Whatever brings you here, there is room for your pace and your goals.

Runners Platform shares practical guidance, running stories and news to help you make sense of the sport and enjoy your own journey.

Running in everyday life

Training happens around work, family commitments and everything else that fills a week. Motivation comes and goes. Some runs feel comfortable; others take a little more patience.

Our content reflects that everyday experience. We explore building consistency, managing effort, returning after a break and staying active throughout the year. From your first 5 km to a long-distance race, the aim is to make running easier to understand and easier to fit into your life.

What you will find here

Training guidance: Easy runs, long runs, pacing, walk-run strategies and race preparation.
South African running news: Developments involving races, athletics clubs and the wider running community.
Comrades and Two Oceans content: Preparation, qualifying considerations and the questions that come with tackling longer distances.
Motivation and well-being: Honest conversations about confidence, setbacks and finding enjoyment in movement.
Running gear: Articles exploring shoes, equipment and their place in everyday training.
Race-day advice: Checklists and practical details that help you arrive prepared.

Rooted in South African running

South Africa has a running culture full of familiar moments: meeting a club group before sunrise, chatting at a water table and hearing encouragement from strangers along a race route.

Runners Platform takes its direction from that shared experience. Local races, club life and the interests of recreational runners shape the subjects covered here. International running stories also have a place when they offer something relevant to our readers.

Why the platform exists

Running often raises questions. How hard should an easy run feel? What happens when you miss a week of training? How do you choose a qualifier? Where do you begin with an athletics club?

This platform exists to explore those questions in clear, approachable language. The focus stays on the sport, the experiences runners share and the information readers can use.

You can browse for advice, follow a running story or find a little encouragement before your next outing. Take what helps you and build a routine that suits your circumstances.

Pace yourself. Keep learning. Enjoy the kilometres.

Comments

Keith Boyd’s Epic Cape Town to Cairo Run

A Record-Breaking Journey of Endurance, Empowerment, and Hope Welcome again, fellow runners and fitness enthusiasts. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 marked more than just the end of the Cold War for a young 23-year-old South African. For Keith Boyd, it signaled the dawn of possibility, a time when Nelson Mandela walked free, the ANC was unbanned, and a Rainbow Nation seemed within reach. But as the years unfolded, personal tragedy and national setbacks would forge a different kind of runner, one driven not just by pace and distance, but by purpose and hope. When Personal Tragedy Meets National Purpose The early 1990s tested Boyd's optimism severely. Political violence threatened South Africa's transition to democracy, Chris Hani's assassination brought the country to civil war's brink, and personal devastation struck when his sister was raped and murdered in Cape Town while his brother-in-law was shot during peacekeeping efforts in KwaZulu-Natal. Yet through it all...

Comrades 2027 Entries Open Tomorrow (25 Aug 2026)

Here's What Actually Matters Welcome, fellow runners and fitness enthusiasts. Tomorrow at 10am, entries open for the 100th Comrades Marathon. If you've been avoiding the fine print because the ASA vs CMA fight made the whole thing feel shaky, stop putting it off. The race is happening. Entries are opening on schedule. The governance mess is a separate headache for a separate day - don't let it cost you a spot in the centenary edition. Here's the bit people keep getting wrong: entering does not let you skip qualifying. You still need a sub-5-hour marathon run somewhere between 15 June 2026 and 3 May 2027. I've had club mates assume a Green Number or an early window means the qualifying time doesn't apply to them. It does. Every single time, no exceptions. The Windows Green Number and Yellow Number athletes, plus Amabeadibeadi charity entries, get first crack tomorrow - 10am to 4:30pm on 31 August, or sooner if the cap fills before then. CMA members get...

The Economics of Running

An Analysis of Reward Structures & Ticket Pricing Dynamics Hey running enthusiasts! Running has evolved from a simple form of exercise into a multi-billion rand industry that captivates millions of South Africans annually. The economic landscape surrounding this sport reveals fascinating dynamics between reward structures, entry fees, and the broader financial ecosystem that sustains one of the country's most popular recreational activities. The Foundation of South African Running Economics South Africa's running economy operates on multiple interconnected levels, from grassroots community events to internationally recognised marathons that attract participants from across the globe. The Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town and the Comrades Marathon between Durban and Pietermaritzburg stand as pillars of this economic structure, each generating substantial revenue streams that ripple through local economies. The Comrades Marathon Association reported that the 2024 event contr...

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