The Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon 2026 was truly a humbling experience, to be honest. The hills on this race are brutal. I felt pretty confident at the start, but after the first hill, my legs were basically asking, “Are you serious?” Still, I pushed through and gave it my best. Looking at my splits, I probably walked more on the hills than I should have. I did have some good segments, though, with a number of personal bests because I was pushing hard, except on the hills where I took it a bit too slow. One of the biggest positives to take from the race was the lack of cramping. I only had a little bit of cramping at the 20km mark which was right at the end.

That said, this race meant a lot to me. I was just three minutes off my Two Oceans Half Marathon personal best, so I’ll take that and keep working. This was my fifth Two Oceans, and it also felt like an important reflection point for how far my journey has come. Just over five years ago, I had never run a 5 km or 10 km race, and now I’ve completed five Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathons. It has been a journey of patience, perseverance, hard work, and consistency, and I am truly humbled and grateful for that.

As usual the gees on the race are amazing. The crowds, the marshals, the sponsors and even fellow runners are always full of energy and enthusiasm. The atmosphere is always electric and the race is always a joy to be a part of.

Running has definitely saved me in many ways, both mentally and physically, and I deeply appreciate it. It’s been great, and this race always rounds off my running season nicely. So until next year, I’m just going to run for fun. Official training starts again in January 2027, and that feels good. It’s been a joyful 2026, full of lessons, and I’m ready to do it again next year.