This Mother’s Day, Sunday, 10 May 2026, hopeful contenders will be chasing their share of an unprecedented prize purse in the Mother City at the iconic Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K.

The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series combined prize purse stands at R1 686 000 in 2026, further enhanced by innovative incentives for South African athletes – designed to inspire standout performances and unforgettable moments.

“Offering a substantial prize purse remains a key priority for us, and we are proud to once again deliver this at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series in 2026,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports. “A strong prize purse not only rewards the commitment and loyalty of athletes to the series, but also fuels ambition and encourages competitors to push the boundaries of performance. We are therefore proud to continue growing our prize purse each year, with the 2026 series featuring a combined total of R1 686 000.”

Since launching in 2015, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has transformed the local road running landscape, delivering five electrifying mass participation events across five iconic cities. The action-packed calendar got underway in Gqeberha in March, before moving on to Cape Town in May, Durban in July and Tshwane in August, and wraps up with a thrilling finale in Johannesburg in September.

Each of the five events will boast a total prize allocation of R337 200.00, with R267 200.00 dedicated to the Open Category. This includes R133 600.00 for the Top 10 Open Men and R133 600.00 for the Top 10 Open Women. The top male and female finishers in each city will take home R33 000.00, while second place will earn R24 000.00 and third place R21 000.00. In addition, R70 000.00 per event has been allocated to Age Categories, rewarding the top three finishers in the Junior, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69 and 70+ age groups.

Exciting 2026 SA Athlete Incentives:

Alongside the impressive combined prize purse, Stillwater Sports once again raises the bar with its acclaimed SA Athlete Prize Incentive Schedule. Applied across all five Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series races, the incentive programme rewards exceptional performances and encourages athletes to chase new limits.

In the Elite Men’s race, bonuses kick in for times faster than 28 minutes, with a remarkable R300 000.00 incentive up for grabs for breaking the 27-minute barrier, while a new SA Record (the fastest runner) will secure an additional R50 000. The Elite Women’s race is equally rewarding, with bonuses starting for times faster than 32:08, and an outstanding R300 000.00 bonus for athletes who dip under 30:20. A new SA Record (the fastest runner) will secure an additional R50 000.

Added Bonuses: To further turn up the heat, additional bonuses will be awarded for consistent excellence across the series:

Elite Men

• R20 000 bonus for breaking 28 minutes twice during the 2026 series.
• R30 000 bonus for breaking 28 minutes three times in 2026.

Elite Women

• R20 000 bonus for breaking 32:08 twice during the 2026 series.
• R30 000 bonus for breaking 32:08 three times in 2026.

To view the 2026 Prize Purse Breakdown and SA Athlete Incentive Schedule, visit https://runyourcityseries.com/

EVENT DATES: 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series

Facebook: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k

Instagram: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k

Hashtag:  #RunYourCity #AbsaRunYourCity

WhatsApp Line: 072 042 7613

Websites:  www.runyourcityseries.com

About Absa

Absa Group is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups. 

Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance. Absa operates in fourteen countries. The Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia and has insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. Absa also has representative offices in Namibia and Nigeria, and securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States. For further information about Absa Group Limited, please visit www.absa.africa

About the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series

A proudly South African mass participation road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has been revolutionizing the sport since 2015.  A road running celebration like no other, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series comprises five unique events namely the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K (launched in 2023), Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K (launched in 2015), the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K (launched in 2017), Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K (launched in 2023) and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K (launched in 2016). A diverse road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series integrates businesses, families, investment in community, world class achievement and fun for all participants. For further information please visit https://runyourcityseries.com/