Drum roll, please… The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has lifted the curtain on the date every ultra-runner has been waiting for.
The 2026 edition of The Ultimate Human Race will take place on Sunday, 14 June 2026, and it’s set to be an Up Run, the classic climb from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.
For runners, this announcement is more than just a date on the calendar.
It’s the green light to begin shaping months of training, nutrition, and planning around one of the toughest and most iconic endurance tests on the planet.
What an Up Run Means
The Up Run is infamous. It’s a test of grit, patience, and strategy.
From the moment athletes leave Durban’s sea-level start, the road rises relentlessly through the Valley of a Thousand Hills.
It then saps the energy and strength on the climbs of Cowies Hill, Fields Hill, and Botha’s Hill, before finally cresting Polly Shortts near Pietermaritzburg.
For elite athletes, the Up Run is about chasing record times, gold medals, and perhaps a place in Comrades folklore.
For the bulk of the field, it’s about survival and personal triumph: managing the pacing, respecting the climbs, and finding a way to make it to the finish line before the 12-hour cut-off.
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Implications for All Runners
- First-timers: Expect a baptism of fire. Training plans must prioritise hill work, strength conditioning, and learning how to conserve energy for the second half of the race.
- Back-to-back medal chasers: With 2025 being a Down Run, those going for the coveted back-to-back medal will need to adapt to an entirely different rhythm and set of demands in 2026.
- Seasoned Comrades veterans: Many will relish the return of the Up Run, often viewed as the “purer” test of endurance. Experience counts, but even the most hardened runner knows the climb from Durban is unforgiving.
- International entrants: With the date locked in, runners from abroad can now finalise travel and training schedules. The Up Run is often seen as a bucket-list challenge for global ultra-marathoners.
The Road to June 2026
With less than a year to go, the countdown has begun. Training clubs across South Africa will start to fill with hopefuls, and the running community will hum with the familiar mix of nerves, excitement, and anticipation.
For many, the date reveal is the spark: the moment where dreams become goals, and goals demand commitment.
On 14 June 2026, thousands will once again line up in Durban, ready to tackle the road to Pietermaritzburg and earn their place in the history of The Ultimate Human Race.
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