Images: Paul Henman

Runners will receive two Comrades Marathon race numbers when registering for the race. These race numbers must be clearly displayed on the front and back of your upper body clothing for the duration of your participation in the event. Failure to adhere to this rule may result in your disqualification. The race number contains a timing chip required by each participant in the race and may not be crumpled, bent, defaced, or modified in any way.

South African participants do not need to wear an ASA provincial license number for this event. However, if your ASA provincial license number is stitched on or permanently attached to your running vest, kindly ensure that it is fully covered by your Comrades Marathon race number.

Start Group Identification: The race numbers will be printed in two different colours:

• Group 1 – Identified by a purple block with the number 1 printed in it.

• Group 2 – Identified by an orange block with the number 2 printed in it.

Please note: It is very important for runners to note that Group 2 runners must not start with Group 1. Any runner that does this will be picked up by the timing equipment at the start and may face disqualification at the finish of the race. However, if a Group 1 runner arrives late for the start and sets off with Group 2, this will not lead to disqualification, but these runners must note that they will have 15 minutes less to complete the race, as both Start Groups will have 12 hours to reach the finish.

Seeding Identification: Your seeding batch is reflected by the alphabetical letter preceding the numerical digits on your race number. You must enter and start the race from within the Seeding Batch to which you have been allocated. You are not permitted to start the race from in a higher seeding batch to which you have been allocated.

Please note: Should you wish to start the race from within a slower Start Group or Seeding Batch than the one to which you have been allocated – for example, a married couple may want to run together, but have been allocated to different start groups or batches based on their qualifying times – then please visit the CMA Information Centre at registration. A R200 reprint fee will be charged to amend your race bib.

No Transfers of numbers: Comrades Marathon race numbers have been assigned to each participant specifically, and may not be transferred, altered, reproduced, copied, or worn by any other person under any circumstance. Any attempt to do any of the foregoing is prohibited, and any person found to have violated this rule may be disqualified and their future entry to the Comrades Marathon rejected.

In terms of race outfits and clothing worn during the race, all participants must comply with ASA Rules 3 and 24, which govern advertising and displays during competitions.

South African participants are strongly encouraged to wear their official club colours, as registered with their provincial federation. If you choose not to wear your official club kit, kindly ensure that your race apparel is free of any corporate( non-club) branding. Should your race apparel bear the branding of a technical( shoe / apparel) sponsor, the maximum

height of the logo shall be 4cm, and the maximum height of any lettering shall be 4cm.

For international athletes, should your race apparel bear the branding of a technical( shoe / apparel) sponsor, the maximum height of the logo shall be 4cm, and the maximum height of any lettering shall be 4cm.

Other rules regarding apparel to take note of are:

• Non-elite participants may take part in the race wearing apparel bearing the CMA logo.

• No participant may compete wearing apparel that is transparent, revealing or explicit.

• Under no circumstances may a participant display a political slogan in any manner or form.

• These provisions will apply for the entire duration of the race.

Non-adaptive participants are prohibited from using / wearing headphones, earphones, or any form of audiobone conduction device for the entire duration of the race.

As your age category will be pre-printed onto your race number / bib, it will not be necessary for you to wear the ASA approved cloth age category tag.

A participant will not be eligible for a prize in more than one age category, i. e., a participant is only eligible for a prize in the age category applicable to him / her or the younger category chosen by him / her, provided he / she is displaying the relevant ASA approved age category tag. However, a participant, male or female, who finishes the race in first to tenth position, may win his / her position prize as well as any applicable age category prize. Participants who win age category prizes must provide positive identification to verify proof of age, and these rules apply to both individual and team categories.

Please note: Unless you specifically requested in writing to CMA organisers to change your age category to a lower age category, by 5 May 2025, you will be entered into the age category of your chronological age.

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