Comrades Marathon

Updated: 12/11/2025, 4:24:02 PM Wikipedia source

The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately 88 kilometres (55 mi) which is run annually in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is the world's largest and oldest ultramarathon race. The direction of the race alternates each year between the "up" run (87.6 km) starting from Durban (elevation: 101 metres (331 ft)) and the "down" run (89.98 km) starting from Pietermaritzburg (elevation: 921 metres (3,022 ft)). In all but three editions since 1988, over 10,000 runners have reached the finish within the allowed 11 or 12 hours. Since the 1980s, increased participation has coincided with substantial rises in both average finish times and the average age of finishers.

Infobox

Date

May / June

Location

Durban / Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Event type

Road

Distance

Ultramarathon (90 km)

Established

1921; 104 years ago (1921)

Course records

mw- Down: Men: Tete Dijana 5:13:58 (2023)Women: Gerda Steyn 5:44:54 (2023)Up: Men: Leonid Shvetsov 5.24.39 (2008)Women: Gerda Steyn 5:49:46 (2024)

Official site

The Comrades Marathon

Tables

Medals awarded in the Comrades Marathon · Medals

Gold

Medal

Gold

Time Range / Criteria

Top 10 men and top 10 women

Design

Solid gold-coloured

Notes

Awarded to the first ten finishers in each gender category.

Wally Hayward

Medal

Wally Hayward

Time Range / Criteria

11th place to sub-6:00 (men only)

Design

Silver centre with gold ring

Notes

Introduced in 2007. Named after five-time winner Wally Hayward. Often rarer than a gold medal.

Isavel Roche-Kelly

Medal

Isavel Roche-Kelly

Time Range / Criteria

11th place to sub-7:00 (women only, as of 2024)

Design

Silver centre with gold ring

Notes

Introduced in 2019. Named after the first woman to break 7h30. Cut-off reduced from 7h30 to 7h00 in 2024.

Silver

Medal

Silver

Time Range / Criteria

6:00 to sub-7:30 (men); also 7:00 to sub 7:30 for women from 2024 onward

Design

Solid silver-coloured

Notes

Awarded to runners just outside elite level. Reinstated for women in 2024.

Bill Rowan

Medal

Bill Rowan

Time Range / Criteria

7:30 to sub-9:00

Design

Bronze centre with silver ring

Notes

Introduced in 2000. Named after the inaugural 1921 winner who ran 8:59.

Robert Mtshali

Medal

Robert Mtshali

Time Range / Criteria

9:00 to sub-10:00

Design

Titanium

Notes

Introduced in 2019. Honours the first unofficial black participant (1935) who ran 9h30.

Bronze

Medal

Bronze

Time Range / Criteria

10:00 to sub-11:00

Design

Solid bronze-coloured

Notes

Traditional medal for those finishing solidly within the cut-off.

Vic Clapham

Medal

Vic Clapham

Time Range / Criteria

11:00 to sub-12:00

Design

Copper

Notes

Introduced in 2003 when cut-off was extended to 12 hours. Named after the race founder.

Back-to-Back

Medal

Back-to-Back

Time Range / Criteria

Awarded to novices who complete their second race consecutively

Design

Dual medal design

Notes

Introduced in 2005. For runners completing an 'up' and 'down' run in successive years.

Medal	Time Range / Criteria	Design	Notes
Gold	Top 10 men and top 10 women	Solid gold-coloured	Awarded to the first ten finishers in each gender category.
Wally Hayward	11th place to sub-6:00 (men only)	Silver centre with gold ring	Introduced in 2007. Named after five-time winner Wally Hayward. Often rarer than a gold medal.
Isavel Roche-Kelly	11th place to sub-7:00 (women only, as of 2024)	Silver centre with gold ring	Introduced in 2019. Named after the first woman to break 7h30. Cut-off reduced from 7h30 to 7h00 in 2024.
Silver	6:00 to sub-7:30 (men); also 7:00 to sub 7:30 for women from 2024 onward	Solid silver-coloured	Awarded to runners just outside elite level. Reinstated for women in 2024.
Bill Rowan	7:30 to sub-9:00	Bronze centre with silver ring	Introduced in 2000. Named after the inaugural 1921 winner who ran 8:59.
Robert Mtshali	9:00 to sub-10:00	Titanium	Introduced in 2019. Honours the first unofficial black participant (1935) who ran 9h30.
Bronze	10:00 to sub-11:00	Solid bronze-coloured	Traditional medal for those finishing solidly within the cut-off.
Vic Clapham	11:00 to sub-12:00	Copper	Introduced in 2003 when cut-off was extended to 12 hours. Named after the race founder.
Back-to-Back	Awarded to novices who complete their second race consecutively	Dual medal design	Introduced in 2005. For runners completing an 'up' and 'down' run in successive years.

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