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BLOGGING THE VIEW: Everything you need to know about the Comrades Marathon 2025

BLOGGING THE VIEW: Everything you need to know about the Comrades Marathon 2025

The Citizen3 days ago

BLOGGING THE VIEW: Everything you need to know about the Comrades Marathon 2025
THE Comrades Marathon, dubbed the 'Ultimate Human Race', returns for its 98th edition this Sunday, 8 June.
This iconic ultramarathon will follow the down run route, starting from Pietermaritzburg City Hall and concluding at Durban's People's Park.
Fast Facts about Comrades 2025
1. Route
The 2025 down run spans 89.98km, descending from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. The course includes notable landmarks such as Polly Shortts, Umlaas Road, Cato Ridge, Drummond (halfway point), Inchanga and Fields Hill.
ALSO READ: 10 fun facts about the Comrades Marathon
2. Cut-off points
To ensure runner safety and race integrity, specific cut-off times are enforced at various points along the route:
· Cato Ridge (30.5km): 5:10:00 race time (11.10am)
· Drummond (45km): 6:40:00 race time (12.40pm)
· Winston Park (58.3km): 8:30:00 race time (2.30pm)
· Pinetown (69.1km): 10:05:00 race time (4.05pm)
· 45th Cutting (81.5km): 11:30:00 race time (5.30pm)
· Finish (89.98km): 12:00:00 race time (6pm)
3. Qualification and entry
Being such a gruelling race – almost double the traditional marathon length – Comrades has strict qualifying criteria to ensure the safety of all. This includes:
· Qualifying period: 10 June 2024 to 5 May 2025
· Minimum age: 20 years
· Qualifying criteria: Completion of an officially recognised standard marathon (42.2km) in under 4 hours and 50 minutes during the qualifying period.
ALSO READ: Comrades Marathon 2025: Road closures and travel alerts for Zululand residents
4. Medal categories
Completing the Comrades Marathon is an amazing accomplishment, and all race finishers will receive a medal based on their completion time. The categories include:
· Gold: Top 10 finishers (men and women)
· Wally Hayward: Men finishing 11th place to sub-6:00
· Isavel Roche-Kelly: Women finishing 11th place to sub-7:00
· Silver: Men finishing sub-7:30; women from 2024 onward
· Bill Rowan: 7:30 to sub-9:00
· Robert Mtshali: 9:00 to sub-10:00
· Bronze: 10:00 to sub-11:00
· Vic Clapham: 11:00 to sub-12:00
· Back-to-Back: Awarded to novices who complete their second consecutive Comrades Marathon
5. Traditions and highlights
With almost a century of history, the Comrades Marathon has a number of interesting race rituals and traditions that are followed. These include:
· Start rituals: The race gets going with the South African national anthem, followed by Shosholoza, Chariots of Fire and Max Trimborn's iconic rooster crow.
· Arthur's Seat: Located near Drummond (halfway point), runners often place flowers here as they believe it brings good luck for the remainder of the race.
· Finish line: A 12-hour gun signals the official end of the race, followed by the Last Post to honour those who didn't finish in time.
Support the runners along the Comrades route or from your couch this Sunday!
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Fresh off her fourth Comrades Marathon title, Gerda Steyn sat down with us to reflect on a race that tested her limits, sharpened her focus, and reinforced her love for ultra-distance running. From near setbacks to surges of motivation, the South African running star opens up about the highs, the pressure, and the power of resilience. Gerda Steyn cemented her legacy as South Africa's ultimate road warrior, storming to her fourth Comrades Marathon title in a thrilling 2025 edition of the iconic ultra. Clocking an impressive 5:51:19 on the brutal down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, Steyn didn't just win — she soared into the history books as the first South African woman to claim four Comrades titles. From the early morning humidity to the thundering cheers at the finish line, Steyn ran a tactically brilliant race. Holding back in the opening stages, she surged past the field by the halfway point, her stride smooth and unrelenting through the Valley of a Thousand Hills. With every kilometre, her lead grew — and so did the roar of support from fans across the country. Russian rival Aleksandra Morozova and Kenya's Shelmith Muriuki chased valiantly but couldn't match Steyn's composed dominance. When she crossed the line in Durban, arms raised and beaming with joy, she wasn't just a winner — she was a national icon. With victories in 2019, 2023, 2024 and now 2025, Gerda Steyn is no longer chasing legends — she is one. But apart from solidifying her legacy in ultra-marathon running and in the annals of South African sport, her unparalleled success at this event continues to inspire athletes and fans worldwide. Following her victory, Steyn expressed her gratitude for the support from the South African public and reiterated her dedication to inspiring the next generation of runners. How did it feel crossing the finish line as Comrades champion once again? It was an immense moment for me. 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This win is more meaningful than any other race I've ever won at the Comrades. What kind of mental preparation goes into a race like the Comrades? It's a long day on the road, so you must prepare your mind to stay positive throughout the race. You need to train yourself to remain optimistic and understand that even when facing difficulties, you can rise and recover from setbacks. This type of mental strength and self-belief will carry you much further than physical strength. It's a crucial aspect of success in ultra-running. How did you stay motivated during the long training months leading up to such a demanding ultra? Motivation isn't something I struggle with. I'm fortunate that I get to run as my profession. Running is something I love to do, and I want to run every day. Sometimes, it's challenging to get out the door when the weather conditions aren't ideal. 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