The Pretoria leg of the SPAR Women’s Challenge has grown from humble beginnings to one of the world’s biggest road races. This challenge is the most popular and inclusive road race in South Africa, attracting the country’s top professional female athletes and thousands of recreational runners. The race began in 1996 with just 600 entrants racing along the University of Pretoria’s Groenkloof campus.

Today, more than 25 000 entrants from around Gauteng run through Centurion’s streets, starting at SuperSport Park Stadium, looping back along a 5km and 10km route. Participants include Olympians, top age-group competitors, and thousands who run for charity and to achieve their own personal goals. An estimated 15 000 spectators turn out in support of the event, along with hundreds of print and broadcast media.

The SPAR Women’s Challenge is the premier event of the Gauteng North road running calendar. The Pretoria race is a key part of the SPAR Grand Prix series – the only competition of its kind in South African road running. The Grand Prix series allows the country's most outstanding female runners to score points across five SPAR Women’s Challenge 10km races and be eligible for cash prizes and other rewards.