Thousands want a Comrades Marathon medal, despite the daunting 90km journey and hours of training and preparation.
As sad as it is for a number of runners to miss out on the deadline for entries for next year’s Comrades Marathon, safety must surely always come first.
The organisers of the Comrades Marathon put up sold-out signs after less than 10 hours on Monday evening following 22 000 entries for the 2026 race – an up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg – were snapped up in record time.
A batch of 2 600 entries were made available last week to association members and runners who had completed the race at least 10 times.
The remaining 19 400 were gobbled up in quick time on Monday – unheard of in recent years.
Perhaps it’s got to do with the popularity of the race as it heads for its 100th running in 2027, or how road running has taken off, especially after the Covid years.
But, what is clear, is that thousands want a Comrades Marathon medal, despite the daunting 90km journey and hours and hours of training and preparation.
You’ve got to feel for the organisers who are being pushed to accommodate more runners as the race grows in popularity.
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Last year’s down run saw 18 194 official finishers. Many other international marathons have grown in numbers in recent years.
On Sunday, the New York Marathon saw a record 59 226 finishers.
There were 55 499 finishers at the Paris Marathon in April, while the Boston Marathon has increased the qualifying times to limit entries.
The conundrum the Comrades faces, though, is that it is double the distance.
New York, Boston and Paris can all have staggered start times up to midday and still complete the race.
The Comrades doesn’t have that luxury as it starts in the dark and finishes in the dark for a large percentage of the runners.
The N3 highway and other alternative routes are also hugely affected.
The Comrades is dubbed “the Ultimate Human Race”. Just starting in Durban or Pietermaritzburg is an achievement on its own.
Perhaps that’s what makes an entry, let alone a finish, so special and sought-after.
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