Comrades Marathon 2020

The ultimate human race. The greatest ultra-marathon in the world where athletes come from around the globe to combine muscle and sinew and mental strength to conquer the approximately 90 kilometres between the coastal city of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, the capital of the Kwazulu-Natal Province.   The first Comrades Marathon took place on 24th May 1921, Empire Day, starting outside the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg with 34 runners. It was established in memory of the fallen soldiers from South Africa in World War I and has continued since then every year with, the exception of the war years 1941-1945, with the direction alternating each year between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, the so called up and down runs. The course varies from uphill (Durban to Pietermaritzburg) to downhill (Pietermaritzburg to Durban) depending on the year, with the downhills being run on even numbered years and uphill on the odd numbered years. Less than an hour’s drive from the hotel you can access local Game Farms, visit the quaint Kwazulu-Natal Midlands and experience the local Zulu Culture at traditional Zulu cultural villages. Talk to us about the options for your stay in South Africa. ENTRIES Entries for the Comrades marathon open on 1 September. Entries will close on 30 November for all runners, including internationals or once the 20,000 cap is reached. COURSE  2020 is an DOWN RUN starting in Pietermaritzburg and finishing in Durban.  QUALIFICATION All entrants must comply with the Comrades Marathon qualifying criteria. If you do not supply qualifying details with your entry, you must submit your club name, license number and qualifying details by no later than 2 May 2020. Qualifying events for the 2020 Comrades Marathon include all official marathons being held between 25 August 2019 and 2 May 2020. Qualifying Race Distance Qualifying Time 42.2km 4:49:59 48-50km   5:49:59 52-54km     6:24:59 56km 6:44:59 60km 7:19:29 64km 7:54:59 80km 10:24:59 90km 11:59:59 100km 13:29:59   AGE RESTRICTION The minimum age requirement is that the athlete must be 20 years or older on the day of the race. RACE PACK COLLECTION/EXPO All runners must register at the International Runners Area at the Bonitas Comrades Expo: Bonitas Comrades Expo Durban Exhibition Centre Walnut Road, Durban Thursday:     09:00am - 19:00pm Friday:          09:00am - 19:00pm Saturday:      09:00am - 19:00pm All runners MUST provide proof of identity in order to collect their race number. ID books, Passport or Driver's Licence   If you are unable to collect your race number package, a third party can collect this on your behalf providing they have a printed copy of Acknowledgement of Entry, the athlete’s ChampionChip as well as a letter of authorization from the entrant. The person collecting the race number package must have identification.   NO race numbers will be issued on race day TRANSPORT Bus tickets between Durban/Pietermaritzburg will be available for sale at the Expo Bus Ticket Kiosks prior to the race. No tickets will be available on race day. START TIME 5:30am. A 12 hour cut offer time applies.  The race is run from "gun to gun". The cut-off times for these points will be confirmed in the Final Race Instructions. CMA reserves the right to alter these positions. Runners will be required to board a rescue bus and be transported to the finish venue should they not have reached the cut-off points within the specified time. AID STATIONS There are aid stations along the route containing Coca-Cola, Energade electrolyte drink and water. TIMING The Comrades Marathon is timed using the ChampionChip Timing system. When crossing a timing mat on the route and at the finish the system will record your chip code and allocate a time to it. It is compulsory to wear a ChampionChip for the duration of the race. Your chip will be in your race number pack and can ONLY be collected from the respective registration points. The chip must be registered in the runner's name and NOT belong to someone else. Wearing another athlete’s ChampionChip will lead to disqualification. AWARDS Medals will be awarded to all official finishers who complete the full distance within the 12-hour cut-off. Medals                           Men and Women GOLD                             Positions 1-10 WALLY HAYWARD       Position 11 to sub 6hrs SILVER                           6hrs to sub 7hrs 30min BILL ROWAN                 7hrs 30min to sub 9hrs BRONZE                        9hrs to sub 11hrs VIC CLAPHAM              11hrs to sub 12hrs SUBSTITUTION The Comrades marathon will accept substitutions for the Comrades Marathon during the window period. No late substitutions will be accepted. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE The Comrades Marathon Association has its prime focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of its runners and as such, has prioritised its medical provisions. It is important to remember that the medical attention is retro-active, i.e. we only respond when a runner is in trouble. Prevention is better than cure, and the prevention of problems is in the hands of you, the runner. Medical care is provided on the route and a the finish line. FINAL RACE INSTRUCTIONS Your Final Race Instructions form part of the rules of the race and will be included with your race number.