THE Comrades Marathon Expo kicked off on Thursday as the countdown to the world’s oldest and largest ultra-marathon draws ever closer.

The three-day expo, an annual highlight of Comrades weekend, sees around 40 000 visitors come to the Durban Exhibition Centre.

Caxton Local Media also visited the expo to chat with runners ahead of the 49th Up Run in the race’s 97th year. We were also lucky to speak to Comrades legend and nine-time race winner, Bruce Fordyce.

Aside from collecting race numbers, goodie bags and other items, the expo also allows runners to soak up the pre-race atmosphere and stock up on race-day essentials and all the latest news in lifestyle, sport, health and nutrition.

Known as ‘The Ultimate Human Race’, the Comrades Marathon will see more than 20 000 runners tackle the challenging 85.91km course from the Durban City Hall to the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, June 9.

We’ve compiled a list of the prime spectator spots along the route to catch the action and cheer on athletes.

For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook, X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.