Pietermaritzburg, ZA · June 2026
Comrades Marathon
Comrades Marathon: 90.92 km, 887 m of climbing. Course route, elevation, weather and a personalised pacing plan.
- Distance
- 90.92 km
- Elevation gain
- 887 m
- Typical temp
- 7–21 °C
- Cutoff
- 12:00:00
The short version
A brutal course
- ▸Big climbing day — 887 m up. Pace the ascents on effort, not the clock.
- ▸Quad-pounding descent (1532 m down) — control the early downhills or pay for it late.
- ▸Low sun in your eyes around km 23–30 — bring a cap or shades.
Next edition
June 2027
Typical race-day conditions
7–21 °C
We lock the real forecast into your plan in race week.
Course difficulty
BrutalDriven by 887 m of climbing, 1532 m of quad-pounding descent. Harder than Spartathlon (8.8), easier than Marathon des Sables Legendary (9.0) — tougher than 68% of the races we cover.
Race data quality
Medium confidence
Last verified: source review pending
Course distance, climate, and broad course features are suitable for pacing previews. Elevation profiles and aid-station details are approximate and should be checked against the official race packet before race day.
Elevation profile
Verified profile
Paid strategy guardrail
Official race packet remains source of truth
- Official course GPX (goandrace) + Open-Elevation DEM
Step 1 · Free preview
See the course-adjusted plan first
Enter one recent result. The preview returns course cost, first splits, and fuel target from the deterministic engine and the current course data model.
VDOT
49.1
Estimate
7:18:43
Course cost
+14:57
Fuel target
90 g/h
First 5 km preview
full race locked
- km 14:40
- km 24:52
- km 35:10
- km 45:11
- km 55:03
First race free · then €7 Race Pass · no monthly subscription
Uses an approximate course model; verify final logistics against the official race packet.
Step 2 · Your full Comrades Marathon plan
The preview shows the shape. The plan races it for you.
Course preview
Free
what you see now
- ✓Difficulty score & course data
- ✓Course-cost & toughest km
- ✓Your first full plan free, ever
Race Pass
€7
one-time, this race
- ✓Every km split, weather-adjusted
- ✓Nutrition & fluid timeline
- ✓Heat, wind & sun race tactics
- ✓Danger zones + watch file (GPX)
- ✓Race-week forecast & reminders
Annual
€19
per year, every race
- ✓Everything in Race Pass
- ✓Unlimited races, all year
- ✓Re-plan as your fitness changes
No subscription required — one race is a one-off €7. Cancel anytime on Annual.
Continue with approximate course data →Course elevation
887 m total gain · 1532 m loss · max 820 m, min 6 m.
Fly the course
Sun & shade
Sun in your eyes
16 km
Sun on your back
13 km
Side / overhead
46 km
Expect low sun roughly in your eyes around km 23–30 — pack a peaked cap or shades; low glare hides kerbs and potholes.
Approximate — solar position from the route geometry and a 05:30:00 start (timezone estimated from longitude), for a mid-pack finishing time.
Signature sections
Polly Shortts
Iconic steep hill; a descent on the Down Run, a brutal late ascent on the Up Run.
Inchanga
One of the 'Big Five' hills through the Valley of a Thousand Hills.
Botha's Hill
Major hill passing the Comrades Wall of Honour.
Field's Hill
Long steep descent into Pinetown — punishing on the quads.
Cowies Hill
Last of the 'Big Five' before the run into Durban.
Race overview
The Comrades Marathon is the world's oldest and largest ultramarathon — an ~89 km road race in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, run since 1921 between Durban and Pietermaritzburg with the direction alternating each year (Up Run / Down Run). The route measures 90.92 km with about 887 m of climbing and 1532 m of descent (high point 820 m). It typically runs in June.
How hard is this course?
Reference table — how the Comrades Marathon compares to a flat sea-level course for four typical fitness levels. Computed from the route profile, mean course altitude, and typical race-week climate (14 °C / 71 % humidity). Your personal strategy uses your VDOT, per-km splits, nutrition timing, and the typical climate baseline for this static sample; paid strategies use Open-Meteo when a verified race date is inside the forecast window.
| Runner | Flat-course finish | Comrades Marathon finish | Course cost | Adjusted pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (VDOT 35) | 9:15:41 | 9:35:18 | +3.5% | 6:10/km |
| Intermediate (VDOT 45) | 7:34:27 | 7:50:30 | +3.5% | 5:03/km |
| Trained (VDOT 50) | 6:57:18 | 7:12:02 | +3.5% | 4:38/km |
| Competitive (VDOT 60) | 5:59:41 | 6:12:23 | +3.5% | 4:00/km |
Reference nutrition
For a 70 kg runner finishing in 7:12:02 at 14 °C. Adjust to your weight and tolerance — these are ISSN-window targets, not prescriptions.
- Carbs / hour
- 90 g
- Total carbs
- 648 g
- Fluid / hour
- 640 ml
- Sodium / hour
- 500 mg
FAQ
Get your personalized strategy
The numbers above are samples. Sign up free and get the full Comrades Marathon strategy from your VDOT, the current course model, Open-Meteo race-week forecast when available, and your nutrition preferences.
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New to trail and ultra pacing? Start with our trail and ultra pacing guide or run the VDOT calculator.