2023 Comrades Marathon route distance revealed

THE Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has revealed their official route distance to be 87.701km, making it almost 2.2 km shorter than last year’s 89.885km Down Run.

The route from Pietermaritzburg was decided by the Comrades Marathon Association Route Portfolio, the Department of Transport’s Road Traffic Inspectorate and Msunduzi Traffic after completing the official route measurement. 

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CMA race director Rowyn James said the difference in distances over the years is mainly due to the roadworks and varying routes taken on the run out of Pietermaritzburg.

“It is worth noting that the last time the race had finished at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in 2016, the race distance was 89.208km – the same year in which David Gatebe set the current best Down Run time of 05:18:19.

Furthermore, when Frith van der Merwe set the still-standing ladies’ best Down Run time of 05:54:43 in 1989, also at the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium, the distance was 89.6km,” he said. 

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James has also confirmed the cut-offs for this year’s race, saying there are five cut-off points along the route. 

He further advised runners to make their way to the start of the race early, saying, “Due to the ongoing N3 roadworks, we ask that all of our athletes make their way to the Pietermaritzburg City Hall early to avoid the traffic congestion and potentially miss the start of the race.”

The 96th Comrades Marathon will be run on Sunday, June 11, starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05:30 and ending 12 hours later at the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban. This will be the 48th Comrades Down Run.

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