Over 30 000 athletes are expected to take part in the 2025 Balwin Sport Marathon Series, which was launched at Greencreek Lifestyle Estate in Pretoria on Wednesday.
The series is comprised of four events which will take place across the country in February and March next year with races of varying distances (5km, 10km, 21.1km and 42.2km) on offer to appeal to different levels of athletes.
Launched in March 2023, the Balwin Sport Marathon Series aims to promote a healthier lifestyle among clients, staff, and all South Africans as the title sponsor of four of South Africa’s most iconic and oldest marathons.
The dates for each of the events were announced on Wednesday with the series kicking off in Johannesburg with the famous Jeppe Marathon on 9 February 2025. Action will then move to the Western Cape where the Peninsula Marathon will be run on 16 February 2025.
The following weekend, runners will be lining up for the Phobians Pretoria Marathon on 23 February 2025, while the series will wrap up with the Dolphin Coast Marathon in KwaZulu-Natal on 16 March 2025.
Early registration for the Marathon Series 2025 opens on 25 August and closes the week of each race or when the race capacity is reached.
A major incentive is that early entries receive a complementary 12-week personalised training programme from one of SA’s most renowned high-performance sports coaches, Lindsey Parry, a quality T-shirt, a goody bag, free photo downloads and a medal, all valued at over R3 000. The 12-week training programme is valid for entries received before the end of November 2024.
Another massive incentive on offer, as it was in the 2024 series, is that participants who enter and complete any distance on race days and then visit any show apartment at Balwin developments countrywide stand a chance of winning a fully furnished apartment valued at R800 000, including 12 months free levies. The more developments they visit the more entries they receive.
One runner who jumped at the opportunity this year was KZN’s Kerry Hill.
Five finalists were selected for the draw that took place at Greencreek Lifestyle Estate in Pretoria East. These finalists then randomly drew keys that could unlock the apartment and it was Hill, who completed the Dolphin Coast race and visited the various show apartments in KwaZulu-Natal, who successfully unlocked the front door to her new, fully furnished apartment, valued at over R800 000.
“I can’t believe it, actually. It’s all so surreal… This is absolutely going to change my life, just to be on the property ladder is something I’ve been wanting for a very long time and to now actually own property, to own an apartment… to have a place I can call my own is so amazing and wonderful,” she said afterwards.
Steve Brookes, CEO and founder of Balwin commented: “Our main objective through Balwin Sport is to connect communities and promote healthy and sustainable lifestyles. The success of our inaugural marathon series this past year makes us very excited about the future of road running in South Africa.
“We will be investing more than R3 million in South African road running until 2034, with benefits flowing down from club level into supporting underprivileged and development athletes.
“The community camaraderie that these events have created surpassed our wildest expectations.”
Ryan Kalk, joint MD of the Balwin Foundation, who oversees Balwin Sport activities, added: “One of the key objectives through the sponsorship of road-running events is to support the development of athletes – achieving property sales in the process is a bonus.
“We are excited to build on our past successes with the 2025 Marathon Series and look forward to welcoming old and new runners as we continue to support and promote healthy lifestyles in South Africa.”
Balwin Sports Marathon Series race dates:
Jeppe Marathon – 9 February 2025
Peninsula Marathon – 16 February 2025
Phobians Pretoria Marathon – 23 February 2025
Dolphin Coast Marathon – 16 March 2025