South African runners are blessed with a terrific race calendar, with so many great races to do, so check out these events for January 2016, including road and trail runs as well as other running disciplines, and make your racing plans! – BY TOM COTTRELL AND SEAN FALCONER
GAUTENG: CENTRAL GAUTENG
Sunday 10 January
Varsity Kudus 15km, Library Lawns, East Campus, WITS, 7am, Heather Kennedy 083 252 3250
Wednesday 13 January
President Hyper Berg en Dal Nite 15km & 5km, President Hyper, Pretoria Street, Krugersdorp, 7pm, Elsje Croucamp 082 559 1176
Sunday 17 January
Dis-Chem Half Marathon & Centrum 5km Dash, Bedfordview Virgin Active, Van Buuren Road Entrance, Bedfordview, 6am & 6:15am, Race Office 083 287 6792
Sunday 24 January
Modern Athlete Bobbies Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Greenstone Shopping Centre, Greenstone Hill, Edenvale, 6am, Lt. Col Hein Gerber 079 525 0302
Wednesday 27 January
Arwyp Medical Centre Aston Manor Nite 15km & 5km, Barnard Stadium, between CR Swart & Plane Road, Kempton Park, 7pm & 7:10pm, Clive Gould 083 386 0796
Sunday 31 January
Johnson Crane Marathon, Half Marathon, 10.5km & 5km, Willowmore Park, Harpur Avenue, Benoni, 6am, Race Office 072 678 2140
GAUTENG: GAUTENG NORTH
Friday 1 January
New Year's 10km & 5km, Pretoria Botanical Gardens, 2 Cussonia Avenue, 7am, Daan du Toit 082 572 4169
Saturday 9 January
A4 Aerobics 4 All Road Safety Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Eco Boulevard, 270 Witch-Hazel Avenue, Centurion, 6am (21 & 10) & 6:15am (5), Race info 083 627 5326
Wednesday 13 January
Meerkat Night 10km & 5km, Service Golf Club, Voortrekkerhoogte Military Base, Centurion, 6pm, Shane Gouldie 082 332 9552
Saturday 16 January
ACE BestMed Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Eersterust Soccer Stadium, cnr St Joseph & Hans Coverdale West, Pretoria West, 6am, Roewyn Danster 082 804 2923
Wednesday 20 January
Paperbark Tree Night Run 10km & 5km, Waterkloof Golf Country Club, John Rissik Drive, Pretoria, 6:30pm, Shane Gouldie 082 332 9552
Saturday 23 January
PricewaterhouseCoopers George Claassen Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Pick n Pay Hyper, Selikats Causeway, Faerie Glen, Pretoria, 5:30am (21) & 6:30am (10), Pete van der Merwe 079 492 1116
Wednesday 27 January
Owl Night Run 10km & 5km, Irene Golf Club, 1 Main Road, Irene, 6pm, Shane Gouldie 082 332 9552
Saturday 30 January
Wonderpark Akasia 3-in-1 Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Wonderpark Shopping Centre, Heinrich Street, Akasia, 5:30am, Altje Conradie 082 372 7093
GAUTENG: VAAL TRIANGLE
No races scheduled for this period
WESTERN CAPE: BOLAND
Wednesday 6 January
Wagon Trail Night Run #6 10km & 5km, Anura Wine Estate, near Klapmuts on R45, 6:30pm & 6:45pm, info@runthevines.co.za
Saturday 9 January
Baytown 12km & 6km, Miems Restaurant, 363 Central Road, Pringle Bay, 8am, Sonja du Toit 084 850 0681
Sunday 10 January
Post Turkey Trail Run 18km, 12km & 6km – Spur Country Classics #1, Grabouw Country Club, Eikenhof Dam, Elgin-Grabouw, 8am, 8:15am & 8:30am, Quantum Events 021 789 0188 (W)
Saturday 16 January
Druk My Niet 10km & 5km Trail Run, Druk My Niet Wine Estate, Paarl, 8am & 8:15am, info@runthevines.co.za
Sunday 17 January
Resolution Trail Run 15km, 12.5km, 7.5km & 5km, Dirtopia Trail Centre, Delvera Farm, 10km from Stellenbosch on R44, 7am, 7:15am, 7:30am & 7:45am, Dirtopia Events 021 884 4752 (W)
Sunday 31 January
French Flair Trail Run 11km & 6km, L’Avenir Farm, on R44 about 10km outside Stellenbosch, 7:15am & 7:30am, Dirtopia Events 021 884 4752 (W)
WESTERN CAPE: SOUTH WESTERN DISTRICTS
Friday 1 January
NSRI 10km & 5km Beach Trail Run, Diaz Beach, Mossel Bay, 9am, Dawie Zwiegelaar 082 990 5954
Saturday 2 January
Knysna Trail Run 24km & 16km, Middle Erf, Harkerville Forest and Sinclair Reserve, near Knysna, 7am, Leon Brown 082 422 1033
Saturday 9 January
Sanlam Trail Run – George 15km & 6km, The Old Sawmill Shed, George, 7am, Danie Raubenheimer 083 376 7414
Saturday 23 January
Schoemanshoek Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Orchard Fine Foods (Next to Church), Schoemanshoek, 6am, Danie Raubenheimer 083 376 7414
Friday 29 January
Top Gear Nite 10km & 5km, Top Gear Sports Shop, Hibernia Street, George, 6pm, Leon Rothman 083 709 1866
WESTERN CAPE: WESTERN PROVINCE
Sunday 10 January
Ocean Basket Bay to Bay 30km, 15km & 5km, Maiden’s Cove, Victoria Road, Camps Bay (30) & Hout Bay Harbour (15) to Glen Country Club, Camps Bay, 6am, Top Events 021 511 7130 (W)
Wednesday 13 January
Spur Cape Summer Trail Series #1 12.3km & 8.5km, Tygerberg Nature Reserve, Plattekloof Entrance, 7pm & 7:26pm, Race Secretary 021 821 9898 (W)
Saturday 16 January
Hohenort 15km, Alphen Centre, Constantia, 6am, Jerome Merton 083 280 9798
Sunday 17 January
Spur Cape Summer Trail Series #2 13.4km & 6.3km, Lebanon Forest, Grabouw, 7:30am & 8:05am, Race Secretary 021 821 9898 (W)
Wednesday 20 January
JointEze Dan Luyt Nite 15km, Durbanville Library, Oxford Street, 6:30pm, Carlo Zylstra 083 453 3433
Saturday 23 January
Red Hill Marathon & 36km, Fish Hoek Sports Complex, Nelson Road, 5:30am, Race Organiser 076 115 8285
Tueday 26 January
Spur Cape Summer Trail Series #3, Distances TBC, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, 7pm (long) & 7:21pm (short), Race Secretary 021 821 9898 (W)
Wednesday 27 January
KFC Brackenfell 10km & 5km, Brackenfell High School, Rogland Street, 6:20pm & 6:30pm, David McCarthy 079 913 0618
Saturday 30 January
Lourensford Market Trail Run 15km & 8km, Lourensford Estate, Somerset West, 8:30am, Quantum Events 021 789 0188 (W)
Sunday 31 January
Kloof Nek Classic Half Marathon, Camps Bay High School, Lower Kloof Road, 6am, Brenda Austin 082 561 7748
KWAZULU-NATAL
Sunday 10 January
Ronnie Davel Memorial 16km & 5km, Laddsworth Primary School, Hilton, 7am, John Holiday 082 806 6749
Sunday 24 January
Kearsney Striders Half Marathon & 10km, Kearsney College, Old Main Road, Botha’s Hill, 6am, Jenifer Rigby 083 531 9417
Sunday 31 January
PDAC 25km, Waterfall Shopping Centre, Lahee Park, Anderson Road, Pinetown, 5am, Teneal Featherby – pdacsecretary@gmail.com
FREE STATE
Saturday 23 January
AEL Mielie Marathon, Half Marathon & 10km, HTS Sports Grounds, Volks Road, Welkom, 5:30am, Laura Van Wyk 072 463 8399
EASTERN CAPE: BORDER
Friday 15 January
PWC Nite 10km & 5km, Old Selbornian Club, Gleneagles Road, Bunkers Hill, East London, 6pm, Sharon Eldridge 083 284 3781
Saturday 23 January
Pennypinchers Half Marathon & 10km, Beacon Bay Country Club, East London, 6:30am, Graham Reynolds 082 448 0727
EASTERN CAPE: EASTERN PROVINCE
Saturday 2 January
Woodlands Dairy 15km & 6km Trail Run, Mentors Country Estate, Jeffrey’s Bay, 6:30am, Kobus Joubert 082 490 7218
Saturday 16 January
N2 City Bluewater Bay Challenge 15km & 5km, N2 City Complex, Bluewater Bay, Port Elizabeth, 6:30am, Colin Parkins 083 651 3836
Saturday 23 January
Hydrassist Half Marathon & 5km, Eastern Province Command Army Base, Willow Road, Forest Hill, Wendy Denston 076 834 8124
Saturday 30 January
The Herald Builders Warehouse Rafi’s Friendly City Marathon, 10km & 5km, Fountain Vineyard Church, Behind Builders Warehouse, Buffelsfontein Road, Port Elizabeth, 5am, 6:30am & 7:30am, Graham Channon 078 184 9723
Sunday 31 January
Puma Trail Run – Port Elizabeth 12km & 6km, Venue TBA, 7am, Race Office 082 991 0045
FAR NORTH: LIMPOPO
Saturday 23 January
Seeff Properties 2-in-1 10km & 5km, Seeff Offices, General Viljoen Street, Platinum Park, Bendor, Polokwane, 7am, Race Organiser 072 149 2674
FAR NORTH: MPUMALANGA
Wednesday 20 January
Eskom Wellness Nite 10km & 4.9km, Eskom Park, Witbank/Emalahleni, 7pm, Paul Bester 082 966 7767
Saturday 23 January
Shanduka Coal Middelburg 5-in-1 Marathon, 32km, Half Marathon, 15km & 10km, Shanduka Coal, Middelberg, 6am, Johan Mostert 082 314 5843
Wednesday 27 January
Van Wetten's Nite 10km & 4.9km, Lowveld Country Club, 1 Aurora Drive, Steiltes, Nelspruit, 6pm, Mark Greeff 083 299 3779
Middelburg Ferrochrome Nite 10km & 4.9km, Kees Taljaard Stadium, Middelburg, 7pm, Bernette Smook 084 880 3608
Saturday 30 January
Volksrust 5-in-1 Marathon, 32km, Half Marathon, 10km & 4km, Volksrust High School, cnr. Adelaide Tambo Street & Govan Mbeki Drive, Volksrust, 6am, Alwyn Strydom 081 401 2361
NORTH WEST: CENTRAL NORTH WEST
Saturday 23 January
Bert's Great Brick Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Olen Park Rugby Stadium, Potchefstroom, 6am, Theo Coetzee 083 538 3162
Saturday 30 January
Ottosdal Nite Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Ottosdal Show Grounds, 4:30pm (5), 5:30pm (42), 6:30pm (21) & 6:40pm (10), Willa Naude 073 526 4536
NORTH WEST: NORTH WEST NORTH
Sunday 24 January
Puma Trail Run – Buffelspoort 12km & 6km, Buffelspoort Dam, 7am, Stillwater Sports 082 991 0045
NORTHERN CAPE: GRIQUALAND WEST
Saturday 16 January
Finlime Flat One Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Lime Acers Recreational Club, Central Avenue, Lime Acres, 6am, Loyd Makie 082 906 4304
NORTHERN CAPE: NORTH WEST CAPE
No races scheduled for this period
NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES: NAMIBIA
Saturday 16 January
Breakfast Run Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Maerua Mall to Heja Lodge, Windhoek, Susan +264 (0)81 212 4421
ORIENTEERING
Sunday 27 December 2015 – 3 January 2016
Big 5 O-Week, All venues in Mpumalanga: 27th – Sprint Event @ Lowveld Botanical Gardens, Nelspruit; 29th – Middle Distance Event @ Kaapsehoop Rockery; 30th – Middle Distance Event @ Ngodwana, 31st – Long Distance Event @ Ngodwana; 2nd – Long Distance Event @ Pear Orchard, Kaapsehoop; 3rd – Sprint Event @ Ngodwana, Times TBC, Nicholas Mulder 082 898 7871
TRIATHLON & DUATHLON
Sunday 10 January
Central Gauteng Triathlon Champs – Trinity Gold Tri & Du #4, Germiston Lake, Johannesburg, Japie Boonzaaier 084 501 2712
Saturday 16 January
Free State Triathlon Tri & Du Event, Standard: 1.5km/40km/10km & Sprint: 750m/20km/5km, Maselspoort, www.fstriathlon.co.za
Sunday 17 January
MiWay Triathlon, Olympic: 1.5km/40km/10km, Sprint: 750m/20km/5km & Kids: 400m/10km/2.5km, Midmar Dam, KwaZulu-Natal, 7am (kids), 8am (sprint) & 8:30am (Olympic), events@triathlonplussa.co.za
EP Tri & Du Champs, Olympic, Sprint and Junior Distances, Pollock Beach, Port Elizabeth, Time TBC, EPTA 083 454 7661
Friday 22 January
Fedhealth XTERRA Kids Buffelspoort, 200m/10km/3km, 100m/5km/2km & 50m/1.5km/500m, Buffelspoort Dam, North West Province, 4pm, Stillwater Sports 082 991 0045
Saturday 23 January
Fedhealth XTERRA Full Buffelspoort, 1.5km/26km/12km, Buffelspoort Dam, North West Province, 8am, Stillwater Sports 082 991 0045
Sunday 24 January
Ironman 70.3 South Africa, 1.8km/90/21.1km, Buffalo City, Eastern Cape, Werner Smit 041 736 8509 (W)
Fedhealth XTERRA Lite Buffelspoort, 400m/19km/6km, Buffelspoort Dam, North West Province, 8am, Stillwater Sports 082 991 0045
Friday 29 January
Fedhealth XTERRA Kids PE, 10km/3km, 5km/2km & 1.5km/500m (all MTB/Run), Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, 4pm, Stillwater Sports 082 991 0045
Saturday 30 January
Fedhealth XTERRA Full PE, 1.5km/28km/12.5km, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, 8am, Stillwater Sports 082 991 0045
Sunday 31 January
Fedhealth XTERRA Lite PE, 400m/12.5km/5km, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, 8am, Stillwater Sports 082 991 0045
ADVENTUR RACING
Sunday 17 January
Spur Adventure #4, Duo (individual): 20-25km MTB & 6km run; Sprint (teams of 2 or 3): 10-12km MTB, 3km run & water obstacle; Spur Eco Warrior (3-7 years): 2km MTB & 500m, PLUS 5km Fun Run; Banhoek Conservancy, Western Cape, 8am & 9am, Quantum Adventures 021 789 0188 (W)
TRACK & FIELD
Saturday 9 January
Central Gauteng Open Programme, Boksburg Stadium, Central Gauteng, 8:30am, CGA 011 873 2726 (W)
Wednesday 13 January
Gauteng North Schools Open, Venue TBC, Athletics Gauteng North 012 327 4932 (W)
Saturday 16 January
AGN League #1 – Programme A, Pilditch Stadium, Pretoria, Gauteng North, Athletics Gauteng North 012 327 4932 (W)
Saturday 23 January
Central Gauteng Programme 1, Ruimsig Stadium, Central Gauteng, 1pm, CGA 011 873 2726 (W)
AGN League #2 – Programme A, Pilditch Stadium, Pretoria, Gauteng North, Athletics Gauteng North 012 327 4932 (W)
Saturday 30 January
Central Gauteng Programme 2, Boksburg Stadium, Central Gauteng, 1pm, CGA 011 873 2726 (W)
AGN League #3 – Programme B, Pilditch Stadium, Pretoria, Gauteng North, Athletics Gauteng North 012 327 4932 (W)