Within 10 hours of the Cape Town Marathon cancellation, a Cape Town-based research firm deployed a comprehensive survey to affected runners. By Monday morning, 518 runners had shared their unfiltered perspectives on what went wrong – and their answers reveal a story far more nuanced than the weather headlines suggest.
The research, conducted by Yazi, a local technology startup specialising in WhatsApp-based surveys, captured runner sentiment while emotions were still raw and memories fresh. The findings paint a complex picture: frustrated runners who nevertheless remain committed to the event’s future, but with clear expectations for how organisers must improve.
The Surprising Finding: It Wasn’t About the Weather
The most striking revelation: 67% of runners say they would have participated if given a choice, suggesting the decision to cancel – rather than the cancellation itself – was the primary source of frustration.
“I think they could have explained the safety aspects with runners and given us an option to continue or quit at our own risk,” wrote one runner, echoing a sentiment expressed repeatedly throughout the research. Another runner stated: “The race could have at least been rescheduled for later in the day and made optional, after the runners were given the reason for the rescheduling.”
The findings suggest runners accepted the safety concerns but rejected the lack of agency in the decision-making process.
What Runners Wanted: A Delayed Start, Not Cancellation
When asked how organisers could have handled the situation better, 40% pointed to partial postponement – delaying the race by one to two hours rather than cancelling outright.
“The wind subsided at 7am. So if there had been a delay in the timing I could have still run. Very disappointed,” one runner noted.
Multiple participants observed that conditions improved significantly by 7-8am, suggesting a delayed start protocol could have allowed the event to proceed safely. A significant 36% of qualitative responses cited inadequate weather planning and infrastructure preparation as core issues.
“October being one of the windiest months in Cape Town, erecting what is in effect a giant sail of a promotional banner seems reckless,” wrote one runner, referring to the marketing structures that collapsed in the wind.
Another stated bluntly: “Cape Town is a windy city, everyone knows this. The issue could have been mitigated. Today was not the windiest day in the history of Cape Town and the organisers could have planned better.”
Several runners compared the situation to the Cape Town Cycle Tour, which regularly proceeds in challenging wind conditions. “The Cape Town Cycle Tour has proceeded in far worse conditions – we would have survived,” wrote one participant.
Communication Breakdown
Nearly 20% of runners identified communication as a major failure. The initial cancellation announcement cited vague “safety reasons” without specifying wind conditions, leading many to speculate about terrorism or other threats.
“The communication was bad. It should have been clear from the get-go that the safety issue was the wind, as there were lots of theories going around,” one runner explained.
Many runners requested proactive communication the day before: “They should’ve sent a message saying there was a chance they might have to cancel the race and a final decision would be made at 5am, that and explain safety straight away. We all thought it was a bomb scare.”
The International Impact: Tourism at Stake
The research captured responses from runners who travelled not just from across South Africa, but from the United States, Netherlands, Kenya, and the United Kingdom – highlighting the event’s importance for Cape Town tourism.
One Cape Town local whose European family travelled specifically for the marathon wrote: “I had family from Europe visiting who saved money to do the marathon and prepared for a year to run their first marathon. They are shattered. I think it will be very difficult to convince foreigners to invest in this event if there is a good chance for it to be cancelled.”
An international runner noted: “Weather conditions globally are not likely to get better.So arrangements need to be made for infrastructure to cope with those conditions.”
The financial impact was substantial, with runners citing costs for flights, accommodation, training expenses, and time off work – investments that went unrealized.
Brand Resilience: 49% Still Committed to 2026
Despite the disappointment, the research reveals remarkable brand loyalty: 49% of runners are “definitely” planning to return in 2026, with an additional 20% indicating “maybe.”
However, organisers face a critical recovery opportunity with the remaining 31% who are uncertain, unlikely, or opposed to returning. The research shows geographic patterns in commitment levels: Cape Town locals show 61% “definitely returning,” compared to just 31% in Pretoria and 39% in Johannesburg.
“I was disappointed, heartbroken. But after few minutes I realized that life is very important because after the race our families expect us to come back alive. Thank Sanlam Cape Town Marathon for prioritizing runners’ life. I can’t wait to line up next year with pride,” wrote one committed runner, exemplifying the segment willing to give organisers another chance.
What Runners Want as Resolution
Expectations for fair resolution varied widely:
- 37% want priority entry for 2026
- 23% want a full refund
- 13% want travel cost reimbursement
- 7% want a partial refund
- 6% want transparent explanation
Only 6% expect nothing, indicating the vast majority believe organisers bear responsibility for making runners whole. One runner proposed: “I really would like a virtual race – run a recorded race within race time and submit – in order to get the 2025 medal.”
The Abbott World Marathon Major Factor
Multiple runners specifically mentioned Cape Town’s candidacy for Abbott World Marathon Major status, with one stating: “For an Abbott World Major candidate event, I’m truly embarrassed.” Another wrote: “We care about this race becoming an Abbott major marathon. Show us proper research goes into contingency planning, especially for wind since it’s always a risk in Cape Town. Show us you care about the runners. After all, without them there is no marathon.”
The research findings underscore the high stakes: securing major marathon status requires not just excellent race-day execution, but also professional crisis management and runner-first decision-making.
How the Research Was Done: WhatsApp Innovation
The speed and scale of the research demonstrates the power of mobile-first technology. Yazi, founded by young South African entrepreneur Tim Treagus, specialises in conversational AI-powered surveys delivered via WhatsApp.
“Traditional research methods would have taken weeks to deploy, by which time the immediate emotional reactions would have faded,” explained the Yazi team. “WhatsApp allowed us to capture authentic, unfiltered perspectives at the moment when they mattered most.”
The survey was promoted through social media (LinkedIn and Instagram), running club WhatsApp groups, and direct runner networks. To acknowledge the financial impact, Yazi offered a R5,000 travel reimbursement to one randomly selected participant. The research was self-funded with no commercial relationship to race organisers or sponsors, conducted as a public service to give runners a voice in the narrative.
Six Recommendations for Organisers
The research concludes with six strategic recommendations:
- Implement a delayed start protocol for marginal weather conditions
- Upgrade infrastructure for wind resistance and eliminate non-essential promotional structures
- Establish transparent communication protocols specifying exact safety concerns
- Offer flexible resolution options (priority entry, refunds, travel reimbursement, or virtual race)
- Target recovery efforts by geographic segment (locals vs. travelers vs. internationals)
- Preserve Abbott World Marathon Major candidacy by demonstrating operational rigor
The Bigger Picture: Making SA Events More Resilient
Beyond this specific incident, the research demonstrates how rapid-response data can help South African sporting events become more resilient in an era of increasingly unpredictable weather and complex safety considerations: “This isn’t about blaming anyone,” one runner emphasized. “It’s about learning and improving. We want this event to succeed and become world-class. That requires being honest about what went wrong.”
The research has been made freely available to race organisers, sponsors, and the broader sports events industry as an educational resource.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The question now is whether organisers will implement meaningful changes before the 2026 edition. The research suggests that future success depends on balancing two equally important priorities: safety and autonomy. As one runner eloquently summarised: “Runners who wouldn’t have run show the highest future commitment (70%), while those denied their choice show the lowest (46%). The lesson is clear: autonomy matters as much as safety.”
The data is now in the organisers’ hands. What they do with it will determine whether Cape Town Marathon’s 2025 cancellation becomes a cautionary tale or a case study in professional crisis recovery.
