27 February 2027
TRAC N4 Elands Marathon
A fast, mostly downhill road race through the Elands Valley on the N4 Maputo Corridor. The marathon and half marathon are joined in 2027 by the return of the 10km.
Starts in
Pre-entries only. Entries close on 10 February 2027 or when the cap is reached.
Three races, one finish at Ngodwana
Every race finishes at the Sappi Skills Training Centre (SSTC) in Ngodwana. Buses take marathon and half marathon runners to their starts before the road closes.
Marathon
42.2km
- R360 entry, plus the compulsory R90 bus fare
- 05:30 start
- Laerskool Oosterlijn, eMgwenya (Waterval Boven)
Half marathon
21.1km
- R210 entry, plus the compulsory R90 bus fare
- 06:00 start
- Malaga Hotel on the N4
10km, off road
10km
- R150 entry, no bus needed
- 06:30 start
- Ngodwana SSTC, a flat route through the Sappi Ngodwana Cattle Farm
Back on the calendar since 2022
The TRAC N4 Elands Marathon is a premier road-running event in Mpumalanga, hosted by the Nedbank Mpumalanga LVCC Running Club and proudly sponsored by Trans African Concessions (TRAC).
The race runs through the scenic Elands Valley along the N4 Maputo Corridor. It returned in 2022 after an 11-year break and has grown into a fixture on the South African road-running calendar.
In the last five years it has become a trusted qualifier for South Africa’s biggest ultra marathons. The Running Mann verified it as the largest inland qualifier for the Two Oceans Marathon and the largest Comrades Marathon qualifier in 2026.
Important dates
- Entries open
- T-shirt and apparel orders close
- Entries close, or earlier if the cap is reached
- Expo and race pack collection
- Race day
Apparel
The 2027 race shirt, bucket hat, visor and socks carry the N4 tunnel design. Order them when you enter. Apparel orders close on 26 January 2027.
Before you enter
- The R90 bus fare is compulsory for the 42.2km and 21.1km.
- Runners aged 60 and over pay 50% of the entry fee.
- International entries add R100 to the entry fee.
- Temporary licences R100, substitutions R100, race shirts R200.
- T-shirt orders close on 26 January 2027.
- Substitutions are allowed throughout the entry process and at the expo and race pack collection.
- Open winners are decided on gun-to-mat times.
- Pre-entries earn Vitality points.
- No seconding is allowed.
Total road closure
The N4 closes to all traffic from 03:00 on race day. Choose a bus pick-up point when you enter: no one gets on a bus without a ticket.
Downhill most of the way
The marathon starts at 1 468 m in eMgwenya and finishes at 931 m in Ngodwana: 874 m of descent against 343 m of climbing.
Race updates on WhatsApp
Join the official channel for route details, hydration points, safety information and last-minute announcements.
