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Two Oceans Ultra · Saturday, 3 April 2027 (expected)The Sainsbury medal: what it takes
The Sainsbury medal is for everyone finishing from four hours to under five. That is an average of 5:21 per kilometre over 56 km, and as a guide it takes a marathon of about 3:31:00or faster; quicker than about 2:49:00 points to the medal above. Type your own marathon to see where you land.
On that marathon, aim for Sainsbury.
Every medal, and what it takes
| Medal | Finish under | Pace | Marathon needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | 4:00:00 | 4:17/km | about 2:48:58 |
| Sainsbury | 5:00:00 | 5:21/km | about 3:31:12 |
| Bronze | 6:00:00 | 6:26/km | about 4:13:26 |
| Blue | 7:00:00 | 7:30/km | about 4:55:41 |
The numbers for the Sainsbury
| Finish | 4:00:00 to 4:59:59 |
|---|---|
| Average pace | 5:21/km for the cut-off; 5:16/km for a five-minute margin (4:55:00) |
| Even-pace halfway | 2:30:00 at 28 km — and the second half is slower for nearly everyone, so be ahead of it |
| Marathon that points to it | about 3:31:00 (faster than 2:49:00 points to the medal above) |
| The same fitness at shorter races | half marathon about 1:42:00 · 10 km about 46:00 |
| Race day | Saturday, 3 April 2027 (expected) |
Where the name comes from
The Sainsbury medal was introduced in 2006 and is named after Chat Sainsbury, “Mr Two Oceans” — the only Two Oceans medal named after a person.
How people earn it
A comfortable sub-3:30 marathon points to a fairly comfortable sub-5. Most who miss it lose it on Constantia Nek after an ambitious first marathon. Run the first 42 km to the plan and the last 14 are yours.
For that fitness, Race Shape would set easy runs no faster than 5:38/km (6:07/km if you train in Johannesburg), marathon pace about 5:04/km and threshold about 4:47/km. A full 20-week block for the Two Oceans starts on Monday Monday, 9 November 2026; a plan built later counts back from race day and fits the weeks that are left.
Medal standards as published by the race organisers. Check the official rules for the year you run before you plan around a cut-off.
Build my Sainsbury plan — free to buildSee your whole block before you pay.
Common questions
What time do you need for a Sainsbury medal?
4:00:00 to 4:59:59: everyone finishing from four hours to under five.
What marathon time do I need for a Sainsbury medal?
As a guide, about 3:31:00 or faster. Real finishers average about 1.42× their marathon over this distance, so a marginal qualifier is rarely enough on the day.
What pace is a Sainsbury medal?
5:21 per kilometre on average to finish at the cut-off. With walk breaks, your running pace has to be quicker than that.
When should I start training for the Sainsbury medal?
A full 20-week block for the Saturday, 3 April 2027 (expected) race starts on Monday Monday, 9 November 2026, on top of a marathon base. Start dates for every race.
Who is the Sainsbury medal named after?
The Sainsbury medal was introduced in 2006 and is named after Chat Sainsbury, “Mr Two Oceans” — the only Two Oceans medal named after a person.