Comrades Marathon ‘big five’ will test runners
The ultra-marathon’s route carries athletes over five taxing hills on the journey between the cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
THE annual Comrades Marathon includes the ‘big five’ set of hills that will challenge novice and experienced runners alike.
The ultra-marathon is due to take place on August 28. The race sees athletes run between the coastal city of Durban and the inland town of Pietermaritzburg. On the up-run, which starts in Durban, the athletes encounter the hills in this order: Cowies Hill, Field’s Hill, Botha’s Hill, Inchanga and Polly Shorts.
The 2022 event starts in Pietermaritzburg, so the athletes will need to summit Polly Shorts first and Cowies Hill will be their last before descending into Durban. In addition to the ‘big five’ well-known hills, as the athletes run through the Valley of 1000 Hills, they will encounter many more.
Polly Shorts is located roughly 9km outside of Pietermaritzburg and was named after a farmer who ran a lodging establishment there. Inchanga is approximately halfway between the two cities, and Botha’s Hill is on the outskirts of Hillcrest, which is generally a popular and festive location for spectators. Field’s Hill overlooks Pinetown, and the final of the big five, Cowies Hill, lies between Pinetown and Westville.
The five hills of the Comrades Marathon are legendary and wait for the anticipated 15 000 participants of the ultra-marathon this weekend.
