Bruce Fordyce Bids Emotional Farewell to Two Oceans Marathon After 40-Year Legacy

• South African distance running icon Bruce Fordyce has marked the end of an era with an emotional farewell to the Two Oceans Marathon
• The veteran, a multiple Comrades Marathon champion and former world record holder, will miss the Cape Town race for the first time in over 40 years
• The announcement comes just days before the 2026 edition, where elite athletes are expected to line up for one of the country’s most scenic road races

A legendary South African marathon runner has penned an emotional letter bidding farewell to the Two Oceans Marathon, bringing an end to his 40-year decorated association with the iconic race.

The coming weekend’s marathon will see 70-year-old Bruce Fordyce not participating for the first time in decades, either as a competitor or commentator. Fordyce is best known for winning the Comrades Marathon a record nine times between 1981 and 1990. He is also a former world record holder over 50 miles and 100km.

Read also

"The ocean sets the terms": SA woman swims 33km across False Bay 20 years after her first crossing

Bruce Fordyce writes an emotional letter

In a moving letter, he reflected and said his first run in the Two Oceans left him instantly hooked on the race, describing it as a dream outing in which he produced a strong second half, including a 47-minute split over the 14km stretch from Constantia Nek to the old Villagers finish, ultimately placing fourth in a time of 3:14. He added that while he never matched that performance again, his enjoyment of the race remained just as strong in the years that followed.

See the post below on Facebook:

He said he had always grappled with balancing his ambition to perform well at the Two Oceans with his full commitment to the Comrades Marathon, explaining that the demands of both races and their proximity on the calendar made it impossible to compete at maximum intensity in each.

He concluded his farewell with heartfelt emotion:

"And so, I have to bid farewell to participating in this great race. Of course, I will still follow its progress with fascination and love, and this year I will be cheering the runners along from the comfort of an armchair in front of my television. I will never forget the memories, the pride of earning my permanent blue number 648, but most importantly, how the Two Oceans Marathon has enriched my life. I started this piece with some lines from a Beatles song and must end with another, from Paul McCartney from his album ‘Egypt Station’: ‘And no one can erase the days we left behind.’"

Read also

“You lived life to the fullest”: Friends remember Landon Lagrange after tragic Camps Bay crash

Two Oceans Marathon 2026 route and schedule

The 56km Two Oceans Marathon will be held in Cape Town from Saturday, 11 April to Sunday, 12 April 2026. The race starts in the Newlands area, near Newlands Swimming Pool, and finishes at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in Rondebosch.

The route passes through the scenic Cape Peninsula, including Muizenberg, Hout Bay, Constantia, and Chapman’s Peak. The event will be broadcast on SABC, following Athletics South Africa’s reported split with SuperSport. The race is an attraction to several top marathon athletes, including 2025 Comrades Marathon champion Gerda Steyn, among other elite competitors.

Athletics South Africa faces pressure from MPs

Briefly News previously reported that Athletics South Africa (ASA) is under mounting pressure over allegations of leadership chaos and weak financial controls.

MPs have accused ASA of lacking proper financial oversight and failing to maintain stability at the executive level.

Source: Briefly News