This year’s Comrades Marathon will see 22 000 crazy and eccentric runners from Mzansi and overseas pound the tarmac for 90km without being asked, causing their knees to hurt unimaginably and their minds to be put to the test.
Others will come out victorious, while thousands will go back home defeated, crushed, their dreams shattered, and their limbs aching for weeks to come — this is all in a day’s work at the Ultimate Human Race, as the Comrades Marathon is widely known.
Every year, the Comrades Marathon attracts a diverse mix of South African and international runners, some seeking to secure a spot in the finishers’ post or others aiming for top honours.
This year’s down run, the 98th edition of the famous marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, will see a whole lot of innovations that were introduced to revive the spirit of the famous race, which had a dip for a while.
Exciting new street finish
According to the Comrades Marathon Association, the finish has been moved from the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium to an exciting new street finish outside People’s Park, where a grandstand for spectators and a hospitality and entertainment spot will be made available, including space for running club tents.
The new street finish will create a more inclusive and celebratory atmosphere, as more people can gather to cheer on the participants while also allowing a better flow of runners and spectators, reducing congestion, and ensuring a smoother finish experience for all.
Runners will also be very pleased to know that there will be no steps to climb at the finish.
There will be 38 pacesetters in this year’s marathon, divided among 10 different pacing buses, with anything from three to five pacesetters running with each bus.
All of the 38 selected pacesetters either have substantial experience running the Comrades or have proven their pacesetting credentials in other races.
The pacesetters, often referred to as ‘bus drivers’, are all unpaid volunteers who carry flags denoting their target time so that runners can easily spot them, hop on the “bus” of their choice, and rely on the pacesetters to guide them home on time.
These buses have been an official part of the Comrades Marathon since the early 2000s.
Rivalry between Dijana and Wiersma
On the professional stakes, “The Flying Dutchman” Piet Wiersma will be looking to defend his title after he became the first Netherlands-born runner to win the Comrades in 2024.
Wiersma has set up an intense rivalry between himself and Tete Dijana, who won the 2023 edition of the marathon.
Dijana finished behind the Dutchman in 2024, and it will be interesting to see who will first chest the finishing tape this year.
Experts predict Gerda Steyn to comfortably win the female race, surpassing Russia’s Alexandra Morozova and American Courtney Olsen.
Steyn is performing exceptionally well and appears to be unstoppable.
