The official route distance of Sunday, 9 June’s 97th Comrades Marathon from Durban to Pietermaritzburg will be 85.91km.
Upon completion of the official route course measurement conducted by the Comrades Marathon Association’s (CMA) Route Portfolio, Department of Transports Road Traffic Inspectorate and Msunduzi Traffic, CMA Race Director, Ann Ashworth confirmed that the official race distance of this year’s Comrades Marathon ‘up’ run will be nearly 500 metres shorter than any other previous race.
So don’t be surprised to read about new records being set around lunch time on Sunday!
The weekend’s race will be the 49th ‘up’ run.
The race will start at the Durban City Hall at 05:30 and will end 12 hours later at 17:30 at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg.
COMRADES MARATHON ‘UP’ RUN RECORDS
Men
Leonid Shvetsov (Russia) – 5.24.39 (set in 2008)
Women
Gerda Steyn (South Africa) – 5.58.53 (set in 2019)
RACE CUT-OFF TIMES
With its focus on putting runners first and in response to runner requests and ongoing efforts to ensure that participants have the best possible chance of finishing this year’s Ultimate Human Race, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has revised the final route cut-off.
CMA Race & Operations Manager Ann Ashworth has confirmed that the CMA Board has approved the adjustment to the final cut-off at the 79.1km mark at Mkondeni (Top of Polly Shortts) from 11:10 to 11:20, giving the backmarker runners an added advantage to finish this year’s race.
Runners are advised to take note that this decision was taken after the final cut-offs had been published in the official 2024 Comrades Marathon souvenir magazine and the 2024 Final Race Instructions (including the International Athlete Guide).
For this reason, the final cut-off reflected in the official race guide and final instructions is 10 minutes faster than the time that will be imposed on 9 June.
The finalised cut-offs are as follows:
| CUT-OFF | DISTANCE IN | TO GO | CLOCK TIME | DAY TIME |
| Winston Park (Caltex Garage) | 29.6 | 56.4 | 4:45:00 | 10:15 |
| Drummond (Halfway) | 42.6 | 43.3 | 6:20:00 | 11:50 |
| Cato Ridge (N3 Subway) | 56.6 | 29.3 | 8:10:00 | 13:40 |
| Umlaas Road | 67.5 | 18.4 | 9:40:00 | 15:10 |
| Mkondeni (Top of Polly Shortts) | 79.1 | 6.8 | 11:20:00 | 16:50 |
| Finish Line | 85.91km | 12:00:00 | 17:30 |
WORLD‘S OLDEST AND LARGEST ULTRAMARATHON
The Comrades Marathon, known as ‘The Ultimate Human Race’, is the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon.
As just over 20 500 runners prepare to tackle the course, spectators will no doubt be gearing up to cheer them along their journey to the finish line.
In an effort to assist supporters and seconds in meeting their runners along the race route, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has issued a list of some prime spectator spots along the route:
| LOCATION | DISTANCE | GOOGLE MAPS LINK |
| Pinetown (St. Johns Ave) | 20km 1st runner ETA: 06:45 |
LINK |
| Hillcrest (intersection R103 / Shongweni Rd) | 31km 1st runner ETA: 07:26 |
LINK |
| Hillcrest (intersection R103 / Hospital Rd) | 32,5km 1st runner ETA: 07:30 |
LINK |
| Hillcrest (intersection R103 / Kassier Rd) | 34km 1st runner ETA: 07:35 |
LINK |
| Alverstone (intersection R103 / Alverstone Rd) | 40km 1st runner ETA: 07:58 |
LINK |
| Drummond (intersection R103 / Thousand Hill Dr) | 44km 1st runner ETA: 08:13 |
LINK |
| Inchanga (intersection R103 / Inchanga Dr) | 49km 1st runner ETA: 08:32 |
LINK |
| Hammarsdale (intersection R103 / Thousand Hills St) | 52km 1st runner ETA: 08:43 |
LINK |
| Cato Ridge (outside Dunbar Spar) | 57,5km 1st runner ETA: 09:03 |
LINK |
| Camperdown | 63,5km 1st runner ETA: 09:26 |
LINK |
| Lynnfield Park | 71,5km 1st runner ETA: 09:55 |
LINK |
| Ashburton | 76km 1st runner ETA: 10:12 |
LINK |
The CMA has urged spectators not to stop at, or make use of, the Umlaas Road intersection and overpass on race day due to this remaining an active construction site with no available parking.
Spectators and supporters are encouraged to arrive early and to park well off the road and out of the way of both traffic and race participants.
RICHEST RACE IN AFRICA
Meanwhile, in partnership with the race’s new Tier 1 partner, Cell C, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has announced an unprecedented increase in prize money up for grabs at this year’s edition of The Ultimate Human Race.
In addition to the R50 000 Hot Spot prize available to the first man and the first woman through the Cell C Hot Spot located in Cato Ridge; and many other cash prizes, this year’s prize purse has been increased by a staggering R1 364 000 to a total of R4 092 000, making it the richest race not only in South Africa, but on the African continent.
Athletes finishing in the Top 10 of both the men’s and women’s races will receive the following cash prize top up from Cell C.
This prize money will be in addition to the prize money payable by the CMA.
| Position | CMA | Cell C | Total |
| 1 | R550 000 | R275 000 | R825 000 |
| 2 | R275 000 | R137 500 | R412 500 |
| 3 | R198 000 | R99 000 | R297 000 |
| 4 | R99 000 | R49 500 | R148 500 |
| 5 | R77 000 | R38 500 | R115 500 |
| 6 | R44 000 | R22 000 | R66 000 |
| 7 | R38 500 | R19 250 | R57 750 |
| 8 | R33 000 | R16 500 | R49 500 |
| 9 | R27 500 | R13 750 | R41 250 |
| 10 | R22 000 | R11 000 | R33 000 |
Spectators wishing to track runners can download the official Comrades Marathon App via the Google Play and Apple App Store.
The South African website will publish the winners of both the men’s and women’s races immediately after the victors cross the finish line.
The website also wishes all those runners taking part the very best of luck!