Sunday 4 October 2026 · Meyerton, Gauteng
Midvaal
MadMac
A genuinely flat, single-lap marathon south of Johannesburg, chip-timed and set early in the Comrades centenary and Two Oceans 2027 qualifying windows. Four distances, one start line at Café du Cirque.
Qualifies for Comrades & Two Oceans 2027 · organised by Meyerton Athletics Club · presented with Midvaal Local Municipality
Online entries close
Online entries close 22 September 2026 at 21:00. Late entry fees now apply on the 42.2km, 22km and 11km. The 5km stays at R90.
Race results
2026 results are in
The 2026 race was run on Sunday 4 October 2026. Every distance is on finishtime.co.za.
View 2026 resultsOnline entries have now closed.
Qualifying for 2027
Built for the sub-5:00 chase
MadMac exists in the calendar exactly where the two biggest qualifier races need it to. Here's what actually matters if you're chasing a marathon qualifying time.
Single lap
Single lap, no repeated loops — the marathon does not repeat a circuit, though the course does include out-and-back sections.
Sub-5:00 standard
42.2km in under 4:59:59 (sub-5:00) qualifies for both the Comrades centenary and Two Oceans 2027. MadMac's own cut-off is generous — see the note below.
Chip-timed and GPX-verified
Mat-to-mat chip timing with checkpoints on route. The marathon measures 42.24km against the official GPX — within normal route-drawing tolerance of the standard 42.195km marathon distance.
Early in the window
2027 qualifying opens 15 June 2026 – 3 May 2027 for Comrades and qualifiers run after 1 May 2026 for Two Oceans. MadMac falls near the start of both — get it done in October and you've still got months in hand if the day doesn't go your way.
6h30 is the MadMac cut-off. 42.2km in under 4:59:59 (sub-5:00) is the qualifying standard. The race cut-off is 6h30. The qualifying standard for both Comrades and Two Oceans is 4:59:59 — finishing inside the cut-off does not mean you have qualified.
Why run this one
Four reasons
One lap, not three
A lot of qualifier marathons in Gauteng are two or three laps of a short circuit, and runners actively dislike them. MadMac's marathon runs single lap — out to Karee Road, across the R59 into the Randvaal smallholdings, and home through Daleside village, with no repeated loop.
R100 000, paid equally
Men's and women's prize money is equal across every distance and every age category — not just the open field. Paid electronically, by EFT, within seven days.
Four distances, one morning
42.2km, 22km, 11km and 5km, all starting and finishing at Café du Cirque. A club or a family can enter one event together, from age 9 up.
Five collection points, not one
Number collection runs at Sportsmans Warehouse branches in Cresta, East Rand Mall, Fourways and Vanderbijlpark before race week, plus the venue itself — no drive to Meyerton required before race day.
Results
Race results
The 2026 race was run on Sunday 4 October 2026. Official chip times for every distance are on finishtime.co.za, along with the earlier editions.
| Year | Race | Results |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Midvaal MadMac 2026 | View results → |
| 2025 | Midvaal MadMac 2025 | View results → |
| 2024 | Midvaal MadMac 2024 | View results → |
| 2023 | Midvaal MadMac 2023 | View results → |
Hear when 2027 entries open.
The course
One lap.
No repeats.
Most qualifier marathons near Johannesburg send you round a short circuit two or three times. MadMac's 42.2km runs out to Karee Road, across the R59 into the Randvaal smallholdings and home through Daleside village — one continuous line, start to finish.
The line behind this is that route: the actual GPX track, not a drawing of one.
The route
Four routes, one start line
The marathon rolls gently to halfway, climbs once around 20km, then drops away over the final two kilometres into the finish. The 22km front-loads its climbing early and descends home. The 11km stays closest to the village, in the suburban streets short of the smallholding grid the 22km reaches. The 5km barely leaves the flat — 13m of vertical spread across the whole loop.
* Elevation from Strava's terrain model, not a survey — indicative, not to the metre.
Starts in Daleside, with a long eastern out-and-back along Karee Road, a western section crossing the R59 into the Randvaal smallholding grid around 3rd to 5th Road, and loops through Daleside village itself.
The first 20km rolls gently between 1 470m and 1 520m, with the low point around 16km. The only meaningful climb comes between 20km and 24km, gaining about 70m, steepest in the two kilometres to 24km. From 24km to 40km it's rolling at 1 510–1 550m, then it drops away over the final two kilometres into the finish.
* Elevation from Strava's terrain model, not a survey — indicative, not to the metre.
Heads west from Daleside, crosses the R59, and runs a rectangular loop through the smallholding grid between 2nd and 8th Road before returning.
Climbs about 66m in the first 4km, rolls at altitude through the middle, then descends from 20km to the finish — front-loaded rather than flat.
* Elevation from Strava's terrain model, not a survey — indicative, not to the metre.
Crosses the R59 west from Daleside and runs a single loop through the closer-in Randvaal streets around Rolbos, Groenbos and Fynbos, then returns. It does not reach the numbered-road grid the 22km uses, making it the most suburban of the longer distances.
About 70–90m of ascent, one rise in the first half, descent home. Carries a 10km timing point.
* Elevation from Strava's terrain model, not a survey — indicative, not to the metre.
A compact loop inside Daleside village around Karee Road, Morris Street and Kroonarend Street. Genuinely family-friendly, close to the venue.
Effectively pancake flat — 13m of total vertical spread across the whole distance. Exactly what a first-timer or a parent with a nine-year-old wants to hear.
Prize money
R100 000, paid equally
total prize money across every distance
Men's and women's prize money is equal across every distance and every category.
The MadMac field is well spread across the age categories, and the prize money is spread to match — the highlighted rows below pay down to second and third place in every masters category, not just the open field.
| Category | Place | 42.2km | 22km | 11km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 1st | R12 000 | R4 000 | R1 000 |
| Open | 2nd | R6 000 | R3 000 | R750 |
| Open | 3rd | R3 000 | R1 500 | R500 |
| Veteran 40+ | 1st | R3 500 | R2 000 | R500 |
| Veteran 40+ | 2nd | R2 000 | R1 500 | R300 |
| Veteran 40+ | 3rd | R1 000 | R800 | R250 |
| Master 50+ | 1st | R1 000 | R500 | R250 |
| Master 50+ | 2nd | R750 | R250 | — |
| Grandmaster 60+ | 1st | R1 000 | R350 | R250 |
| Grandmaster 60+ | 2nd | R750 | R250 | — |
| Junior | 1st / 2nd / 3rd | — | — | 500 / 350 / 250 |
* Prizes paid electronically, by EFT within seven days, unless WADA testing results are pending.
What runners say
4.8 stars, 176 reviews
Via Race Pass, from runners who've actually finished.
“Best race. It has stolen my heart — it's on my bucket list of races to run again.”
“Very well organised race.”
“What an awesome race. Was a really enjoyable event.”
“Great race, good route.”
What you get
Medal, shirt, timing, refreshments
Race t-shirt
Rainbow gradient (green → yellow → orange) with MadMac branding front, sponsor wall back.
Finisher medal
Silver, distance-stamped (42.2KM / 22KM etc.) on a blue ribbon. Note: the 42.2km medal is issued at the finish, not at any intermediate point — there is no separate 21km medal.
Timing & results
Mat-to-mat chip timing with checkpoints on route. Distance boards every 1km., waterpoints roughly every 3km. Results published on finishtime.co.za.
Free race shirts
- First 250 42.2km entrants
- First 100 22km entrants
- First 50 11km entrants
Additional shirts available at R250.
Goodie bags
1,000 goodie bags for the field.
Platō Meyerton discount
10% off any drink at Platō Meyerton — Show your finisher medal on 4 October. Valid that day only, at that branch only.
FAQ
Questions people actually ask
Where can I find my 2026 result?
Full results for every distance are on finishtime.co.za. The results section above links straight to the 2026 race, and to 2025, 2024 and 2023 as well.
When do 2027 entries open?
The club has not announced 2027 dates or prices yet. Join the mailing list below and you will get them, along with route news, as soon as they are confirmed.
Is MadMac an approved Comrades and Two Oceans qualifier?
MadMac is positioned and marketed as a single-lap Comrades and Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon qualifier, and has carried that status in previous editions. Written confirmation of the 2027 approved-qualifier listing for both races is being obtained — check back closer to race day if this matters to your entry decision.
What time do I need to run to qualify?
Under 4:59:59 for the 42.2km, for both the Comrades centenary and Two Oceans 2027. That's the qualifying standard, not MadMac's own 6h30 cut-off — see the qualifier panel above.
Enter this year, or join the mailing list for next year.
Online entries for this year have closed.
Mailing list
Stay in touch with MadMac
The club sends entry dates, prices and route news for the next Midvaal MadMac, plus a reminder before this year's online entries close on 22 September 2026. A few emails a year.
Online entries for 2026 have closed. Join the mailing list and the club will email you when 2027 entries open, with dates, prices and route news.
Follow along
Latest from Facebook
Route changes, training meetups and race-day photos land on the club's Facebook page first.