The Comrades Marathon is not only challenging for the participants, but also for the organisers, with the 87km point-to-point course requiring a significant amount of preparation.
Ahead of Sunday’s race between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, we take a look at some of the logistics involved, and the magnitude of the event, with a glance at the race in numbers.
Entries
9 — All of SA’s provinces will be represented, led by Gauteng (7,398), KwaZulu-Natal (3,491) and the Western Cape (1,517)
84 — Countries which will be represented by participants in the race, including India (403), Zimbabwe (255), the UK (224), the USA (173) and Brazil (142)
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2,354 — International runners taking part
17,920 — Runners who have qualified to take part in the race, though a couple of thousand entrants are expected not to line up for various reasons
General
12 — The cut-off, in hours, that runners must dip under to earn a medal
48 — Finishes achieved by 71-year-old Dolphin Coast Striders runner Barry Holland who will target his 49th successive medal this weekend
87.701km — The route distance, which is more than 2km shorter than last year’s race
95 — The number of times the annual race has been held, with the 96th edition taking place this weekend
500,000 — Bonuses on offer, in rands, for the men’s and women’s course records, on top of the R500,000 in prize money for the race winners
Safety
2 — Advanced life support practitioners to help runners at the finish line
8 — Paramedics on hand to assist finishers at Kingsmead Stadium
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63 — Nurses from Netcare who will be available on the day to assist runners
32 — Ambulance staff who will transport runners who need to be hospitalised
Broadcast
2 — SuperSport channels which will broadcast the race live, with one (SS Variety 4) following the elite men and the mass participation event, and the other (SS Variety 2) focusing on the top women
9 — Outside broadcast vehicles needed to show live coverage of the race
45 — Cameras required to broadcast the event, including two low-light cameras to show the race build-up and the conclusion
200 — Members of the broadcast crew who will be on the ground to provide coverage throughout the event
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