Comrades Marathon

The Comrades Marathon is one of the most legendary ultramarathons in the world, a South African road-running institution that has come to symbolize endurance, courage, and collective spirit. Often called “The Ultimate Human Race,” Comrades is not a standard marathon at all, but an approximately 87 km ultramarathon run between Durban and Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

The race is organized by the Comrades Marathon Association, and the event is held under the rules and regulations of World Athletics, Athletics South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, and the CMA. First run in 1921, Comrades has grown into a race with a mythology of its own: early morning nerves, massive crowds, relentless hills, strict cutoffs, and the emotional final stretch into the finish. The 2026 race will be the 99th edition of the event and the 50th Up Run to Pietermaritzburg.

For runners, Comrades is less about a single distance and more about a rite of passage. The Up Run is famous for its climbing, its long grind inland from the coast, and the mental strength required to keep moving for hour after hour.