The Comrades Marathon is a South African ultramarathon run over a distance of approximately 90 km. The marathon is run between the capital of the Kwazulu-Natal Province, Pietermaritzburg, and the coastal city of Durban. The race alternates annually between the up run from Durban and the down run from Pietermaritzburg.

The race is run over a strenuous course which can be best appreciated by The Big Five. The Big Five hills of the Comrades Marathon include in the following order on the down run: Poly Shorts , Inchanga , Botha's Hill , Fields Hill , and finally Cowies Hill.

The race was the idea of World War I veteran Vic Clapham, to commemorate the South African soldiers killed during the war.

Bruce Fordyce won the race for an unprecedented eight consecutive years between 1981 and 1988; he won it for the ninth time in 1990.

Alberto Salazar won the race in 1994.

External links

• Official web page