Here’s the lowdown on the 2018 Comrades Marathon
The officially measured and certified distance for this year’s Down Run is 90,184km.
POLOKWANE – The official distance of the 2018 Comrades Marathon as well as changes to the route have been confirmed by the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA).
The 2018 Comrades Down Run will be slightly longer than the previous Down Run route. The 2016 route stretched over 89,208km.
The race will start at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall down Chief Albert Luthuli Street, heading east. From there runners will continue along Alan Paton Avenue and then contraflow onto the N3 national freeway. From there, they will glide off right onto the Market Road on ramp and then left onto the slip road to CB Downes Road and then follow the traditional Comrades route towards Polly Shortts and onwards to Durban.
The route into Durban, athletes will follow the N3 under the Tollgate Bridge and then take the new fly-over into David Webster Street which becomes Bram Fischer Road. From there, runners will turn left into Samora Machel Road which then becomes Masabalala Yengwa Avenue.
Runners will then run contraflow in Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and cross to the north bound lane at Battery Beach Road. They will then take the pathway to the left between the bollards, pass the Virgin Active Gym and turn left into the tunnel before Nino’s and onto the field to the Finish Line at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The new finish at Moses Mabhida Stadium aligns with the requirements of the Events Act which necessitated the move to this iconic Durban landmark.
The eThekwini Metro Police and Msunduzi Traffic Police will be providing escorts to ensure the safety of the route course measurer.
For more detailed information and maps of the changes to the start and finish of the route, visit the following:
Comrades Marathon website
The current number of entries received for the 2018 Comrades marathon is 21 213. Entries closed in November 2017.
