Why run this marathon?

The Longtom Ultra & Half Marathons have all the potential to become one of the biggest road running events in South Africa, on a par with the Two Oceans Marathon and the Comrades Marathon, for the following reasons:

Unique terrain: It is the only ultra marathon (56 km) in Africa that is literally run over a mountain pass.

Altitude: It is the only full-length ultra marathon (56 km) on the African continent run at an altitude of between 900 meters and 2 150 meters above sea level. The high altitude (2 150 m at the highest point) offers runners a unique challenge and training opportunity.

A tough challenge: The 56km ultra marathon's degree of difficulty is on par with the Comrades Marathon (89 km). However, the big challenge of the Longtom Ultra Marathon is not the distance, but the 35 km painstaking climb up the mountain and the 21.1 km descent on the other side of the mountain to the finish in Lydenburg.

A must-do marathon: The Longtom Ultra Marathon offers the northern part of South Africa the same challenge and appeal as the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in Cape Town and the Comrades Marathon in Durban . It is fast becoming one of the top must-do marathons in the country.

Training for the Comrades: The Longtom Ultra Marathon is an excellent trainer race for the Comrades Marathon on 29 May 2011.