Comrades Ultramarathon

The Comrades Marathon is the world's oldest and largest ultramarathon run over a distance of approximately 90 km (55.9 mi) between the capital of the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa, Pietermaritzburg, and the coastal city of Durban. The direction of the race alternates each year between the up run starting from Durban and the down run starting from Pietermaritzburg.

The race was the idea of World War I veteran Vic Clapham, to commemorate the South African soldiers killed during the war. It was run for the first time on 24 May 1921 (Empire Day), and except for a break during World War II, it has been run every year since.

From 1962 to 1994 the race was run on Republic Day, 31 May. After this public holiday was scrapped in 1995 by the post-apartheid South African Government, the race date was changed to Youth Day on 16 June. However, in 2007 the race organisers (controversially) bowed to political pressure from the ANC Youth League, who felt that the race diverted attention from the significance of Youth Day, and changed the race date to Sunday 17 June for 2007.

The 2007 event was the 82nd running.

The field size ranges between 10,000 and 13,000 runners each year, with a record field in 2000 of over 23,000 runners. This makes it the world's largest ultra-marathon.

South Africa is also home to the world's largest individually timed cycle race, the Cape Argus Cycle Race, and the world's largest open water swim, the Midmar Mile.