The 2026 Comrades Marathon takes place on Sunday, 14 June 2026, with Gerda Steyn chasing a fifth title and a fourth consecutive win on a shortened up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg that covers 85.77 kilometres.
As reported by IOL, this year’s race is the 99th running of the Comrades and carries the distinction of being the shortest up run in recent history.
With 21,633 registered runners and a record prize purse on offer, the conditions are set for one of the more competitive editions in years.
Comrades Marathon 2026: can Gerda Steyn be stopped?
Every Comrades preview starts with Steyn, because she has never lost when she has started.
Since her breakthrough win in 2019, she has stood undefeated every time she has lined up for this race, including claiming the 2024 up run women’s record with a time of 5:49:46, making her the first woman to break six hours on the route.
Steyn’s preparation this year has been done largely in France, where she has been training in mountainous terrain.
“My training so far has gone really, really well. Of course, it’s still ongoing, but all is going according to plan, especially after the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon earlier in April,” she said ahead of the race.
She has also been characteristically unapologetic about the unconventional elements of her programme.
“Not many people believe me when I say that my longest run is ‘only’ 50km, but that is my recipe, and why would I fix something that is not broken?” Steyn said.
Comrades Marathon 2026: who is chasing Steyn?
The Comrades women’s field has real depth this year. Kenya’s Shelmith Muriuki, 2022 champion Alexandra Morozova and South Africa’s own Irvette van Zyl are all capable of running times that challenge Steyn’s dominance, though matching her consistency over the full distance of the up run remains a significant task for any challenger.
On the men’s side, the shortened up run distance of 85.77 kilometres gives fast-finishing runners a strategic advantage, and a deep field of Kenyan and South African athletes will compete for a top prize purse that makes this one of the most valuable ultra-marathon pay days in the country.
What happens after the 2026 Comrades Marathon
The gun goes off in Durban at 05:30 on 14 June 2026, with the cut-off set for 12 hours. If Steyn wins, she will become a five-time Comrades champion and extend a record of dominance that has few equivalents in South African athletics.
Live television coverage will carry the race from the first gun, with results expected to come through from mid-morning as the field begins arriving in Pietermaritzburg.
