The 2026 Comrades Marathon was launched on Wednesday.
Here’s all you need to know about the 99th edition of the annual ultra-marathon in KwaZulu-Natal.
New route
There will be some slight changes to the route that was designed when the last ‘up’ run was held in 2024.
The official race distance has not yet been confirmed, but it will be announced by newly appointed race director Sue Forge ahead of next year’s race.
Entry fees and limit
Entries, to be taken on the Comrades Marathon website, will open on 27 October and close on 24 November, or when the entry cap of 22 000 runners is reached.
With no increase in entry fees, SA runners will pay R1 200. Participants from other African countries will pay R2 000. And entrants from countries outside Africa will pay R4500.
Qualifying times
The qualifying times have also not changed, with runners needing to complete a standard 42km marathon within five hours to take part.
And the qualifying period, which opened on 9 June this year, will close on 4 May next year.
Prize money
For elite athletes, there will be a 10% increase in prize money, with a record total purse of R8.2 million on offer.
The winning man and woman will each receive R925 000, and R605 000 is available to the first man or woman to break the ‘up’ run records of 5:24:49 (held by Leonid Shvetsov) and 5:49:46 (held by Gerda Steyn).
* Featured image of Gerda Steyn by Tobias Ginsberg/Modern Athlete
