Comrades Marathon 2027: The Complete India Guide to the World’s Greatest Ultra

Last updated: September 2026

The 100th Comrades Marathon is not just another edition of the race. A hundred years of the same ultra run between the same two cities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with the same 12-hour clock ticking and the same gun waiting at the finish. The centenary carries that weight in full. It is the Down Run direction — Pietermaritzburg to Durban — and it finishes at a new venue: the Kings Park Rugby Stadium precinct, chosen because the race outgrew its previous home. For 2027, the field cap has been raised to 28,000, the largest in Comrades history.

The entry process is live right now. The general ballot — open to all runners who have not yet secured a place, including every international runner — opened 9 September 2026 and closes Tuesday, 22 September at 16:30 SAST. Window 1 for Green Number and Yellow Number holders opened 25 August. There are 28,000 places available and this is the only general entry window before substitutions open in March 2027.

This guide covers everything: how to qualify and enter from India or anywhere internationally, what the Down Run course actually does to your legs, the full medal system, the cost of the trip and what it looks like at the finish line when the gun goes off at 12 hours. If you are seriously considering Comrades 2027, start here.

Comrades Marathon 2027 — Race at a Glance

What Makes the Comrades Marathon Worth Running?

The centenary — what finishing the 100th edition actually means

Most races mark round numbers with a commemorative medal and some extra sponsor branding. The 100th Comrades is a different kind of milestone. The race has been building toward it since the first edition was run in 1921. Runners who finish on 13 June 2027 will be in a permanent entry in the race’s history that cannot be replicated. The campaign slogan “The Greatest Story Ever Run” is not event marketing — it is a literal claim about 100 years of human endurance on the same road. The CMA has reflected that significance in every decision around the centenary: the expanded 28,000-runner cap, the new Kings Park finish that creates more space and spectacle, and the R8.9 million prize pool. Everything about 2027 is scaled to the occasion.

The 2027 Down Run is also the 50th edition of the Down Run direction since alternating directions began in 1967. The only other centenary Comrades will be 2121. If you are a serious runner and you are alive and fit in 2027, this is the one to run.

The Down Run’s distinct character

Ask experienced Comrades runners which direction is harder and you will not get a straight answer. The Up Run is objectively harder on the lungs — you climb from sea level at Durban to 670 m in Pietermaritzburg, with Polly Shortts saving its worst for the final 10 km when you have nothing left. But the Down Run destroys different muscles and does it more quietly. The net descent from PMB to Durban sounds like an advantage. What it actually means is 90 km of eccentric loading on your quads, particularly on three major descents — Polly Shortts early, Fields Hill in the mid-race and the long run-in to Durban at the end.

Many first-timers choose the Down Run thinking it will be faster and easier. Average finishing times are faster. “Easier” is not the word for it.

The Comrades medal system — what runners are actually racing for

No other ultramarathon has a finisher classification system as embedded in its culture as Comrades. Runners do not just want to finish — they target a specific medal, train toward it for months and measure their Comrades career against it across years and editions.

For most Indian runners doing Comrades for the first time, the Bill Rowan (sub-9:00) is the aspirational target. Robert Mtshali (sub-10:00) is realistic for a well-prepared first-timer with strong ultra mileage. And the Vic Clapham — any finish inside 12 hours — stands entirely on its own. Finishing Comrades is not a small thing regardless of what time you do it in.

The 12-hour gun — running’s most defining finish line

At exactly 12 hours from the last start wave, an official fires a gun at the Kings Park finish line. Any runner who has not crossed by that moment does not receive finisher status, a medal or an official time. No exceptions, no rounding up, no grace for the runner who is mid-stride as the gun fires. Officials stop them at the line. This moment is broadcast live on South African national television every year, watched by millions. If you watch it once, you understand what the 12-hour cut-off means in a way that no written explanation fully captures.

There are also intermediate cut-off points along the course. Runners who fall behind the required pace at checkpoints are pulled from the race before they reach Durban. The official intermediate times for the 2027 Down Run will be published on the Comrades website — check these and map them to your race plan.

Scale: the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon

Comrades has been run every year since 1921, with interruptions only for World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic. The 28,000-runner 2027 field makes it comfortably the largest ultramarathon on earth — the next biggest ultras operate in the low thousands. Runners from over 70 countries start the race. The entire event is broadcast live for 12 hours on South African national TV. There is nothing like it in distance running, and there is no other race in the world where the finish area sees a 12-hour live telecast with millions watching.

Who should run Comrades — and who should wait

Comrades rewards patience and preparation. The sub-5:00 qualifying standard is the floor, not a measure of readiness. Runners who arrive with a 4:20–4:40 marathon qualifier and 60+ km training weeks consistently have better experiences than those who scraped under the 5-hour mark and jumped straight into Comrades prep. The ideal Comrades runner has done multiple marathons, has trained their body for sustained hills and has put in at least a year of serious distance work before building for the race.

For Indian runners specifically: if your base is in Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru, the flat roads you train on every day will not prepare your legs for the Down Run’s descents. That is the single most important gap to identify and address before race day. It is not a reason to skip Comrades — it is a reason to plan smarter.

The Comrades 2027 Down Run Course — What to Expect

The start — Pietermaritzburg City Hall at pre-dawn

The race begins in complete darkness, typically before 5:30 am for the last wave. June in Pietermaritzburg is cold — temperatures at the start sit between 5 and 8°C, and the higher sections out of the city are often misty. A throwaway layer at the start line is not optional for most runners. The first few kilometres out of PMB climb gently as the course leaves the city centre, and the atmosphere is genuinely electric. Chariots of Fire plays over the PA system before the gun fires — 28,000 runners going quiet when that music starts is one of those moments that experienced Comrades runners bring up when they talk about the race for years afterward.

Polly Shortts (~km 8–15) — the Down Run’s opening trap

In the Up Run direction, Polly Shortts is the final brutal climb before Pietermaritzburg, hitting runners in the last 10 km when they have nothing left. In the Down Run, you encounter it in the opposite direction within the first 15 km — a steep, twisting descent that you hit on relatively fresh legs. This is precisely what makes it dangerous. The gradient is steep enough that you are actively braking on the way down, which means your quads are absorbing significant eccentric load even though you are running downhill and your pace feels easy.

The correct approach is to treat Polly Shortts as a strength-sapping segment, not a free gift of speed. Runners who bomb down this descent in the first hour will pay for it on Fields Hill 50 km later. Every minute saved here costs three times over in the second half of the race on damaged legs.

Harrison Flats and Inchanga (~km 20–40) — the psychological middle

After Polly Shortts the course hits the relatively flat section known as Harrison Flats. This is where the majority of first-timers make the mistake that defines their race. It feels like recovery. The legs feel better than they did on the descent. The temptation to push pace across this section is almost universal and almost always wrong. Around km 30–35, Inchanga begins — a significant climb that arrives when your legs have already been on the road for two to three hours. The views from the Inchanga section are genuinely beautiful, with valleys dropping away on both sides of the road. The climb requires the same patience.

The entire middle section of the Down Run is characterised by rolling hills that do not look dramatic on an elevation chart but accumulate relentlessly. You are rarely fully climbing or fully descending. The road keeps moving. This is the feature of the Down Run that catches experienced marathon runners off-guard most often — they expect the course to feel straightforward because of the net descent, and it does not feel that way at all.

Botha’s Hill (~km 45–53) — the midrace test

Botha’s Hill sits roughly at the race’s midpoint and is one of the more honest sections of the Down Run. There is no trick here — it is a sustained climb that you arrive at on tired legs after 45 km of hills. Runners who have been disciplined up to this point will walk sections of it as deliberate strategy, not as a sign of collapse. Walking Botha’s Hill preserves quad function for the descents ahead. Many experienced Comrades runners walk all the major climbs and run the descents and flats — on the Down Run course the math usually works in their favour when they do.

Fields Hill descent (~km 55–65) — where first-timers fall apart

Fields Hill is the most treacherous section of the Down Run for recreational runners and the point where pace splits widen most dramatically. In the Up Run direction it is a brutal climb; in the Down Run it is a very steep, extended descent — and it comes when your legs have already absorbed 55+ km of hills. The gradient is steep, the road has camber changes and the footing demands attention. Runners who have not specifically trained downhill running will feel their quads lock here. Cramping on the Fields Hill descent is extremely common in the recreational field.

This is also the point where the difference between a well-prepared runner and an underprepared one becomes clearly visible. The gap compounds all the way into Durban from here.

Cowies Hill and the run into Durban (~km 68–90)

Cowies Hill is the final named climb of the Down Run. By the time you reach it, you have covered nearly 70 km and your legs are a fundamentally different object than what they were in Pietermaritzburg. Cowies Hill in the Down Run direction is a climb followed by a descent and then a long, winding run toward the Durban coastal area. The final stretch into Durban is psychologically difficult — you can see the city from multiple points in the last 20 km but the road keeps going. Humidity rises as you descend toward sea level. Your pace will have dropped significantly from the first half. Manage expectations on this section and keep moving.

The 2027 finish at Kings Park precinct adds some distance in the final Durban approach compared to previous Down Run finishes. Know the last few kilometres of the route before race day so it does not catch you at km 89 on empty legs.

Race Strategy — Comrades 2027 Down Run

Comrades Marathon 2027 — Entry and Registration

Three-stage entry process

About 52% of the 28,000 places are allocated through the general ballot — roughly 14,500 spots for a race that will have far more applicants. The draw is genuinely random, so apply now and do not wait for the deadline. If you want a guaranteed international entry and want to avoid the ballot entirely, Marathon Tours and Travel (the exclusive official international tour operator for Comrades) offer entry packages that include accommodation, transfers and race-week support. This is the only guaranteed path for an international runner who does not hold a Green or Yellow Number.

Entry fees — unchanged since 2022

Payment can be split: 50% on entry and the remaining 50% by 31 January 2027. A Comrades Relief Fund offers up to 1,500 disadvantaged South African athletes a reduced entry fee — terms on the official website.

Qualifying for Comrades 2027 — what you need

You must complete an officially timed standard marathon (42.2 km) in under 5 hours (4:59:59 or faster). The qualifying window runs from 15 June 2026 to 3 May 2027. You can enter the ballot before your qualifier is done but you must update your profile with the qualifying result and submit your medical questionnaire by 3 May 2027. Longer qualifying distances are also accepted with different time standards — check the official website for those. Most Indian runners will use the standard 42.2 km route.

Any CMA-recognised marathon counts as a qualifier. The most commonly used among Indian runners are Tata Mumbai Marathon (January — flat, fast, ideal for a qualifier attempt), NMDC Hyderabad Marathon (October), Wipro Bengaluru Marathon (October) and Pune International Marathon (December/January). Confirm your chosen race’s CMA recognition status before entering.

Comrades Marathon 2027 — Race Weekend Schedule

The full 2027 schedule will be published on the official website closer to the event. Dates and times below are projected from previous years and will be updated when confirmed.

Comrades Marathon 2027 — Expo and Race Pack Collection

Weather — What to Expect in KwaZulu-Natal in June

June is South African winter, which means conditions are generally good for running. The cold PMB start is manageable with throwaway clothing — old clothes discarded in the first few kilometres. The bigger concern is the humidity increase as the course descends toward the Durban coast in the afternoon, particularly for runners who will be finishing in the 10 to 12-hour window. Stay on top of electrolytes from the midpoint onwards and do not skip aid stations in the second half of the race even when your stomach is unsettled. Aid stations are well stocked throughout but spacing increases as the course approaches Durban.

Prize Money and Elite Competition

Past Comrades Marathon Results

The 2026 Up Run (99th edition, 14 June 2026) produced two new course records. The 2027 centenary Down Run starts fresh — the Down Run records will be under significant pressure given the field size, prize pool and calibre of runners the centenary will attract.

For full historical results going back to 1921, visit the Comrades Marathon historical results page.

Spectator Guide — Comrades Marathon 2027 Down Run

Watching Comrades in person is an experience in itself. The course is accessible from multiple points by road and supporters camp out along the route through the night. If you have someone running, knowing where to position makes the difference between seeing them once at the finish and tracking them across four or five points on the course.

Where to Stay for Comrades Marathon 2027 — Durban

Durban is the operational base for the Down Run. The Expo is in Durban, the PMB buses depart from Durban the night before race day and the Kings Park finish is in Durban. Almost all international runners stay here for the full race week. For the centenary edition, book accommodation the moment your ballot confirmation arrives — do not wait. Comrades week in Durban is already competitive for rooms in a normal year.

International Runners — Visa and Getting to Durban from India

South Africa visa for Indian passport holders

A Short History of the Comrades Marathon

The Comrades Marathon was founded by Vic Clapham, a South African soldier who served in the East Africa campaign during World War I. After the war, Clapham proposed a running event to commemorate the suffering and spirit of his fallen comrades — not a memorial, but a physical act of remembrance to be repeated every year. The first Comrades Marathon was run on 24 May 1921 with 34 starters. Clapham finished 8th. The route covered the approximately 89 km between Pietermaritzburg and Durban and had a 12-hour time limit. The same cut-off is still in place today.

The race grew slowly through the 1920s and 1930s, was suspended during World War II and resumed in 1946. In 1975, Comrades began alternating directions between the Up Run (Durban to PMB) and the Down Run (PMB to Durban), and the women’s open was introduced in the same year. Through the 1980s and 1990s the race became genuinely international, drawing thousands from outside South Africa. In 2000 the field topped 14,000. By 2019, the last pre-pandemic edition, over 24,600 runners entered. The 2026 race, run with a three-wave split start, had 20,349 starters and 18,276 finishers.

The 100th edition closes the first century of the race and opens the second. The expanded Kings Park finish, the 28,000-runner cap and the centenary campaign exist because the race has earned them across a hundred years of unbroken endurance. But the race on 13 June 2027 runs on the same road, with the same hills and the same gun at the finish. Vic Clapham’s 12-hour cut-off has outlasted nearly everything else that has come and gone in a century of running.

Related Race Guides

• Two Oceans Marathon — The traditional Comrades warm-up race. A 56km ultra through Cape Town’s most dramatic scenery and a bucket-list event in its own right.
• Cape Town Marathon — South Africa’s only Abbott World Marathon Major. A very different race to Comrades but equally worth your time if you’re already making the trip.
• Athens Classic Marathon — If Comrades is on your bucket list for its history and suffering, Athens belongs there too. The original marathon route, brutal hills and a finish inside an Olympic stadium.
• World Marathon Calendar — Planning your next race? Browse every major international race on one page.