Choosing between Cape Town Marathon and Zhengzhou Marathon? This page puts the essentials side by side — next race date, elevation, typical weather, field size, and entry difficulty — with a short overview of each course below.
The headline differences between both races. Follow each marathon link for the full route map, elevation chart, and entry details.
| Detail | Cape Town Marathon | Zhengzhou Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Next race | Sunday, 30 May 2027 at 6:30 am | Sunday, 18 October 2026 at 7:00 am |
| Elevation | Rolling with notable climbs - approx. 25m above sea level. ↑ 205 m · ↓ 203 m · net +2 m | Very flat - approx. 104m above sea level. ↑ 50 m · ↓ 50 m · net 0 m |
| Typical weather | Mild autumn with coastal breezes | Mild autumn |
| Typical participants | Approximately 11k finishers | Approximately 36k finishers |
| Entry difficulty | Easy | Competitive |
The Cape Town Marathon is Africa's first Abbott World Marathon Major, joining the series in 2027 as the eighth race. The scenic course starts and finishes at DHL Stadium with views of Table Mountain and the Atlantic coastline. With rolling terrain and around 205 metres of total climbing, it is the only AIMS Gold Label marathon on the continent and a landmark race for runners worldwide.
The Zhengzhou Marathon attracts approximately 36k finishers each October through Henan province's transport hub on the Yellow River. The course links the Zhengdong New Area CBD towers, Erqi Memorial Tower, and the Songshan foothills approach on wide Henan boulevards. October's mild central-China weather and a largely flat profile make it one of the country's fastest major mass-participation marathons.
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