The highly anticipated Marathon for "More than a race". Took place in Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa with 22 000 entries. Source image: Comrades Race shared via X
(The Post News)- The 2025 Comrades Marathon, which took place on June 8, was a major turning point in the history of the biggest and oldest ultramarathon in the world. A record number of people participated in this year’s 49th Down Run, which also featured a number of innovative modifications designed to improve the running experience. In 2025, the Comrades Marathon saw 24,000 participants, making it the biggest Down Run in the event’s history.
According to the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA), the event introduced two distinct start times to accommodate the increasing number of runners and maintain safety. Pietermaritzburg City Hall was the starting point for both the first and second waves of runners, which started at 5:45 and 6:00 AM, respectively. The race featured a revised route, approximately 89 kilometers in length, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. Over 5,000 volunteers supported the event, managing 2.2 million water sachets, 600,000 sports drink sachets, 40,000 liters of soft drinks, and several tons of fruit and snacks to sustain the runners.
The CMA reduced the qualifying time for normal 42.2 km marathons to 5 hours to make the race more accessible, enabling a wider variety of runners to compete. To foster inclusion within the running community, the CMA Runners’ Relief Fund also provided poor athletes with a 50% entry fee cut. Both the male and female winners of the 2025 Comrades Marathon received R874,000 each, out of a total prize money of over R7.6 million.
The Childhood Cancer Foundation SA and Childline KwaZulu-Natal were the official charities for 2025, and the event carried on its legacy of promoting charitable causes. The 2025 Comrades Marathon, with the theme “More Than A Race – Isiko Mpilo,” honored the human spirit’s tenacity and the togetherness that characterizes the race. From top runners to first-time runners, the race represented a common love of running and a dedication to charity and community.
In addition to breaking previous records, the 2025 Comrades Marathon confirmed its standing as a worldwide celebration of perseverance, diversity, and the resilient spirit of human success.
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