About
The Comrades Marathon is a foot race of approximately 55 miles. It is run each year in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. The race is run between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is often quoted to be the world’s oldest and largest Ultramarathon. Competitor numbers are normally capped at around 25,000.
The direction of the race is switched each year. When starting at Durban, the race is referred as a “Up Run“. This is because the vast majority of the route is uphill. Conversely, when starting in Pietermaritzburg, it is called a “Down Run“. The course is run on tarmac roads, which are closed for the duration of the race. Elevation Gain on the UP run is about 5,500 feet.
The race has very strict cut off times, and all runners must finish the race in under 12 hours. The finish line is roped off the second the 12 hour hooter sounds, preventing anyone outside this time, crossing the line.
History
The Comrades Marathon was first run in 1921. It was the idea of Vic Chapman, to commemorate South African soldiers killed in the 1st World War. It has been run every year since then. There have been breaks during World War II and the COVID pandemic. 2024 was the 97th running of the event.
Entry Process
Comrades had been top of my bucket list races for many years. In late 2023 the entries opened for the June 2024 event. Along with friends Richard and Jamie, we put in our International Entry forms. The only qualifying condition, was to complete a marathon in a time under 4hr 50min. This marathon had to be run between September 2023 and May 2024, and have certified and published finish times.
The marathon time you submit, is used to determine your starting wave for the race. The timings for Comrades are based only on “Gun Time” (no timing chips). Getting into the earlier waves makes a big difference, especially if you are chasing cut offs. (Our start wave was F and it took us over 9 minutes to cross the start line).
Richard and Jamie completed their required marathons in early 2024. Due to a string of injuries, I left it until the Brighton Marathon in April, to actually qualify. South London Harriers club mate, Anne Marie, helped pace me.
She did so with plenty of time to spare, and helped me into the medical tent at the finish, but that’s another story.
Travel
There are no direct flights from London to Durban, but several options are available for connecting flights. We chose to fly Emirates via Dubai. Arriving in Durban on the Friday before the race, we headed straight to the Expo. After picking up our numbers, and a very generous “goody bag”, we went to our accommodation at Belaire Suites Hotel. The hotel was on the main Esplanade, about a 20 minute walk to downtown Durban
Parkrun Tourism
As a keen Parkrun tourist, I was eager to run the event at North Beach at 8am the next morning. The Parkrun was less than 200m from our hotel.
When we woke the whole beach area was full of runners. A slow 5km jog with other Comrades hopefuls, was the perfect way to start the day. It certainly helped settle any pre-race nerves.
Race Day
The race started at 05:30, but we were instructed to be at the bag drop by 04:30. Our hotel started serving breakfast at 02:30 for the runners. Luckily it was only a quick 10 min taxi ride to the start area.
The one thing everyone will tell you about Comrades is the “spine tingling” atmosphere of the start. Inspiration music and songs are played at the start, including Chariots of Fire and the South African National Anthem.
For me the singing of “Shosholoza” was the highlight. The song is a mix of Zulu and other South African dialects. The song is about travelling to and from the mines to work . It’s about the “journey”, “moving forward” and “hard work”. All very apt words for any Comrades runner.
The vast majority of South African’s know this song and sung along.
The start of the race is signified by the sound of a cockerel. On hearing this cry, we all slowly starting edging towards the start line. Even after crossing the line, we moved very slowly. This was due to the mass of runners ahead of us in the narrow streets of Durban.
Eventually we broke into a very slow jog. The clock was ticking….
The Big 5
The Comrades Marathon has 5 named hills, called “The Big 5“.
“Cowies“, “Fields“, “Botha’s“, “Inchanga” and “Polly Shortts“.
Each of these hills are well over 1km in length, with varying degrees of elevation.
The race to me, felt more like 52 miles of uphill, despite only having the fabled 5 hills ! Only the last 3 miles contained any period of flat running.
The weather can play a big part in Comrades races. Start line temperatures are often in single digits. As the race progresses, temperatures can soar over 30C. We were luckily. At the hottest part of the day in 2024, the temperature never exceeded 25C.
Water stations are situated every 2-3 miles, giving the runners plenty of hydration and cool down opportunities. We were provided water soaked towels in the latter part of the race, which were most welcome.
With the amount of water stations, there was no requirement to carry additional liquids. I wore a simple running belt to carry gels, energy bars and of course Haribo’s.
Support along the course is amazing, especially as you ran through the larger towns. The smell of the supporters “Braai’s and Beer” filled the air.
The race plan was all about finishing and enjoying the day, as opposed to any particular time. We agreed to run together for as long as possible. That said, we all thought a finish around 10 hours was achievable.
The first half of the race went well, and as the roads thinned, we started to make good progress.
Buses
In Comrades pacing groups are called “Buses”. Experienced pacers will aim to get runners over the finish line within specific times. The pacers know just the right times to ease off and speed up. There are always a large amount of runners following a specific bus. Within the bus there is always plenty of chanting and singing, so you can hear them coming !
The Best Laid Plans..
Just beyond the half way mark, Richard starting complaining of GI (gastrointestinal) issues. He simply couldn’t take on any fuel, and was feeling physically sick. For the next 10 miles we tried to get him over this, but eventually he fell back. Sensibly Richard spent more time at the aid stations, drinking water and energy drinks. He also tried to eat anything he could stomach, including bananas/water melon etc.
The Finish
At this point, Jamie and I made the decision to push for the finish. On reaching the top of the last hill at Polly Shortts, we knew there was only about 5km to go. We both wanted to get the sub-11 hour “Bronze” medal, so knew we had to work hard. We had less than 30 mins to reach the finish line.
At last, the course gave us some flat sections. At some points, we even experienced downhill gradients !
According to Strava, the last mile of the race was my fastest. I was pleased to cross the line in 10hrs 52min. Jamie finished a minute ahead of me (am sure he took a short cut).
I’m glad to say Richard turned it around. He finished in 11hrs 12min, for an extremely well earned “Vic Chapman” medal.
View the replay of the run in the following link :- Strava 3D Re-Run
Final Thoughts
By far the best race I have ever entered. So much history and atmosphere.
The start line singing was captivating. Constant chanting by Zulu and other local runners energized everyone. All the cheering volunteers and supporters made for an unforgettable experience.
If you are going to run one Ultramarathon in your life, I would recommend you choose Comrades.
Maybe pick the DOWN Run though !
Footnote
I ran the race as part of my fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK. Link below if anyone would like to learn more about why I am supporting the charity. You can also see what other races I have lined up for 2024.
Links
Fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK
Four Go Mad Adventures 
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