One country, discovered one province at a time
Pick your races, plan your road trips and see the country through its local running events. Every province you finish earns a stamp, until all nine are in your passport.
From entry to the ninth stamp
Register
Enter once online. Your numbered digital race passport is issued the moment your payment goes through.
Choose your races
Any officially timed 21.1 or 42.2 km road race in each province. You choose the event and enter it directly with the organiser.
Run and upload
Finish the race, then upload your official result. Each province counts once it is verified.
Collect your stamps
Each province’s stamp unlocks in your passport once your result is verified. Nine stamps make you a finisher, and finishers receive a printed passport with all nine races filled in.
Race entries, travel and accommodation are booked and paid for separately by each runner. Qualifying races are organised independently and are not affiliated with Energy Lab.
On your phone for the journey, in print when you finish
Your passport lives in the Run the Beloved Country web app, with your number, dates and stamps. Finish all nine provinces and we send you the printed edition: a forest-green booklet with your nine races, dates and times filled in.
Nine provinces, nine stamps
Each stamp is styled like a weathered ink travel stamp, with its own colour and a landmark from that province. Tap a province or a stamp.
Nine stamps make a finisher
Once all nine provinces are verified, your passport gets its finisher stamp and the completion page: I ran the beloved country.
Travel the country with runners
Every entrant spends up to 24 months travelling to towns and races across all nine provinces. We are looking for partners who want to be part of that journey.
RunningCalendar.co.zaSouthern Africa’s running calendar. Every qualifying race in the challenge’s race finder comes from RunningCalendar’s listings, so you can plan all nine provinces in one place.
YOUR NEXT MOVETraining plans built around your races, from your current fitness to race day. Every Run the Beloved Country runner gets 50% off a year of YNM.
Naming & passport
Presence on the passport itself, carried and written in for the whole challenge, plus the campaign and website.
Travel, fuel & stay
Help runners get to every province, with benefits for entrants along the way.
Finisher & community
Celebrate the finishers, and tell the stories of the provinces and races they discover.
Interested in partnering? Email support@energylabapp.co.za and mention Run the Beloved Country.
Good to know
Which races count?
Any officially timed road half marathon (21.1 km), marathon (42.2 km) or road ultra held in the province, organised by any club or organiser. You choose the races. Trail races, virtual races and shorter distances don’t count.
Can I mix half marathons and marathons?
Yes. Any mix of 21.1 and 42.2 km races counts, in any order.
How long do I have?
24 months from the date your passport is issued.
Does my entry include race entries or travel?
No. You enter each race directly with its organiser and arrange your own travel and accommodation. Your challenge entry covers your digital passport, result verification and, when you finish, your printed finisher passport.
How are results verified?
You add your official race result in the app, with a results link or finisher certificate. Once it is checked against the official results, usually within 7 days, that province’s stamp unlocks.
Is the race passport a real passport?
No. It is an Energy Lab running challenge collectible, not an official travel or identity document.
When can I enter?
Entries open soon. Register your interest below and we’ll let you know first.
Register your interest
Leave your details and we’ll email you when entries open. No payment, no commitment.