SPECTATORS
EVERY CHEER COUNTS!
The support of family, friends and spectators is one of the most powerful motivators for Comrades Marathon runners. As participants tackle the demanding 2026 Comrades Marathon Up Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, your encouragement can provide a boost when they need it most. Here’ s some important info for those who will be supporting on the day.
1 SPECTATOR POINTS ON THE ROUTE
To help spectators safely access the route and support their runners, the Comrades Marathon Association( CMA) has identified four designated Spectator Points along the route, each with GPS coordinates and Google Maps directions available.
• Spectator Point 1: Drummond 43km covered / 43km to go Near the intersection of the R103 / Old Main Road & Thousand Hills Street, with Arthur’ s Seat and the Comrades Wall of Honour just a short walk down the road. There are restaurants and shops here, but more importantly it’ s the official halfway mark of the race, with the Thirsti refreshment station and fun vibe activation!
If you do decide to head to one of these spots, make sure to plan your race day support:
• Decide which spectator point you will visit.
• Use the Spectator Guide and GPS / QR codes to navigate directly to the designated viewing areas.
• Arrive early, as road closures and race-day traffic may impact travel times.
• Encourage your runner with positive support while remaining behind barriers and following instructions from marshals and event officials.
• Respect local residents, businesses and fellow spectators when parking and moving around the route.
Please note: While there are many spots along the route where you can cheer on the runners, the CMA recommends these four Spectator Points, as they are easier to access and will give you a great viewing experience. Whether you’ re ringing a bell, waving your pom poms or simply calling out a runner’ s name, your encouragement helps create the unforgettable atmosphere that makes The Ultimate Human Race so special.
Images: Comrades Marathon Association
• Spectator Point 2: Inchanga 49km covered / 37km to go Near the intersection of the R103 / Old Main Road & Inchanga Drive, with Amazondi Store & Bakery nearby. Your support here will help the runners conquer Inchanga, one of the Big 5 hills, so bring your best cheers and placards.
• Spectator Point 3: Cato Ridge 58km covered / 28km to go A popular spot where the R103 crosses over the N3, so it’ s easy to get there on race day, and a big crowd with a great vibe awaits you here. With four of the Big 5 hills already in the legs, this is the point of the race where runners really need your support to keep themselves going.
• Spectator Point 4: Camperdown 63km covered / 23km to go Another easy one to get to thanks to being right next to the N3, and the Cell C team will be making all the right calls at their refreshment station at this popular spectator spot on the route. With a half marathon left to run, this is a great spot to use all your lung power to give the runners a lift on their way to the finish.
2 ROAD CLOSURES
Supporters and spectators planning to go out onto the route should take careful note of all the road closures on race day. The race route itself is closed to traffic, and only vehicles with official Comrades Marathon route access stickers, including motorbikes and bicycles, will be allowed to access and move along the route. This is to ensure the safety of the runners and the free-flow of the race.
Roads that lead onto or up to the race route may also be closed, either at the route itself, or near to the route( in order to prevent a traffic jam of vehicles that need to turn around and go back the way they came). The only way to cross over the route with a vehicle will be via a bridge or underpass / overpass road that allows it.
To make sure that you get to your designated spectator or support points along the route, the Comrades Marathon Association( CMA) recommends that you get there early in the day. If you intend moving along the route to meet up with your runners two or more times during the race, it is best to plan your route carefully and give yourself plenty of time to get to the next meeting point.
73