This is a route that is true to its name - tough, undulating and hilly. You start up Jan Smuts Avenue towards Randburg. This means two big climbs in the first 1.5 kilometres. The hill continues as you turn left into Republic Road where you climb for a further kilometre or so to the corner of Hendrik Verwoerd Drive (opposite the M-Net Studios). Now for the first respite: a one kilometre drop down Republic Road to Brightwater Commons before a testing 800 metre section to Malibongwe Drive where you turn right.

Use the next two kilometres of steady downhill along Malibongwe to catch your breath as you fly past Damelin, the Virgin Active Health Club, McDonalds, Strijdom Park and across the N1. As you cross the highway enjoy the last 500 metres of downhill before the two kilometre slog to Northgate. There is a flat section to the 11-kilometre mark at Ferreira’s Corner before turning right into Witkoppen Road with its brutal downhill to the bottom of Johannesburg North. Take a right into Johannesburg North where you climb for two kilometres up Pritchard and then Maudhurst Street to the halfway mark in Robyn Street. Getting out of Johannesburg North involves a drop parallel to what you have just done down Market Street with a wiggle through Jukskei Park and across the Klein Jukskei River.

The race may well start after the 18-kilometre mark where there is a steady three kilometre climb through Douglasdale near the Bryanston Country Club. Forget the six monsters you have already climbed. They were just to soften you up for the journey to St Stithians School. There is slight relief as you run down Republic Road and into William Nicol before the last slog along St Andrews Road after the 28-kilometre marker. After this there is a relatively flat section as you make your way along Waterfall Avenue into Athol Avenue and the sharp right into Jan Smuts Avenue. Turn right into Old Parks and all that is left is the last 400 metres around the top cricket field, down the straight dip, arms in the air!

RAC arranges a product fair to coincide with the Saturday (on which most runners collect their pre-entry goodies) and Sunday of the race. The intention is to create a flea market atmosphere for those wishing to sell their wares to runners. They hope to keep the items running-related but are not too strict on this issue. It is at this race that the first copies of the new edition of the Runners' Guide are sold - so get your copy early. You can buy light meals on race day. This race is popular and parking may be a problem so arrive early.