Preparations for this year’s Comrades Marathon have intensified as more than 21 000 runners are expected to participate in the 50th up-run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on Sunday.
The Comrades Expo will open at the Durban Exhibition Centre on Thursday, where runners will collect their race numbers ahead of the event.
This year’s race distance is 85 kilometres and 55 metres, shorter than the usual 89.98 kilometres. Organisers have also introduced several changes aimed at enhancing the experience for participants.
The theme for this year’s race is “Ska Fela Moya” – a seTswana phrase chosen to motivate runners as they take on the demanding route.
Comrades Marathon Association Chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo, says, “This is the message in the back of thousands of runners that will keep them going when they have to cross the many hills and As the thousands of runners tackle the many hills and ascending 1.8 kilometres in elevation between start and finish. All in less than 12 hours.”
Race medical teams will be deployed across the route to assist runners who experience health challenges during the event.
Race doctor, Jeremy Boulter, says, “At this stage the weather looks favourable with dry, and cool to mild conditions being expected. Scores of paramedics, nurses and doctors will be looking after runners experiencing medical difficulties. Boulter advises someone who experiences dizziness, confusion or disorientation to stop immediately running and seek medical help.”
Runners will start the race in three batches between 5am and 5:30am outside Durban City Hall.
Race Director, Sue Forge, says the staggered start is intended to improve safety and allow runners to reach key sections of the route during daylight hours.
Forge says, “This is being done to make the most of the well-lit first part of the race and enable runners to reach Polly Shortts while it is still daylight. At the cut-off points runners will this year also benefit from a so-called traffic light warning system: green means you are on target to finish in time. Orange means you need to pick up your pace, and red means you haven’t made the cut-off time.”
Defending champions Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn will return to defend their titles against a field that includes several elite ultra-marathon runners.
