20,000 to run the Comrades Marathon...
There are some races that any runner (off or on road) aspires to – perhaps the Everest Marathon, the 3 Peaks, Pikes Peak, the NY Marathon? The Comrades Marathon is one such race it seems. At 56 miles, it’s not the longest race in the world…
But the mystique that surrounds this race holds it up there with the world’s most iconic endurance events.
This year sees even more in the way of international competition with the likes of Lizzy Hawker running, alongside a crack-squad of Ethiopian men. Starting in Pietermaritzburg and finishing in Durban, the race attracts some top quality endurance athletes, with Marathon Talk man Martin Yelling also targeting the event this year.
For the first time in the history of the Comrades Marathon an elite team of Ethiopian runners have entered and will pose a formidable threat to both local runners and defending champion, Stephen Muzhingi. The top ten finishers in both the men’s and women’s competitions in the 2010 Comrades Marathon will line up again this year.
With almost 20,000 participants this year, its one of the bigger distance events out there. Not only that, it also captures the imagination of a nation. By all accounts South Africans are glued to their sets for 12 hours watching this race, either that or they are out there, running it, or cheering on their friends and family.
Visit the Comrades Marathon site for some great information and history.
