The route runners will take on the down run has changed slightly for the last 8km

IT’S all systems go for the 2018 Comrades Marathon taking place next Sunday.

Runners will start at 5.30am outside the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and finish 12 hours later at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

Comrades Marathon Assocation race director Rowyn James has confirmed the route will change this year for the final 8km.

He said the aim is to keep the distance as close as possible to the previous down run.

The officially measured and certified distance for this year’s down run is 90.184km. The 2016 route was 89.208km.

He said some changes will take effect from the start at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall.

Runners will start their down run from the city hall, run down Chief Albert Luthuli Street and head east.

They will continue on Alan Paton Avenue, then contra-flow onto the N3 national freeway.

They will then glide off right onto the Market Road on the ramp and left onto the slip road to CB Downes Road, then follow the traditional Comrades route to Polly Shorts and on to Durban.

With regard to the route into Durban, James said the runners will be told to follow the N3 under the Tollgate Bridge and take the new flyover into David Webster Street, which becomes Bram Fischer Road.

From there, runners will turn left into Samora Machel Road, which then becomes Masabalala Yengwa Avenue.

Runners will then run contra-flow onto Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and cross to the north-bound Beach Road.

They will then take the pathway to the left between the bollards, pass the Virgin Active Gym and turn left into the tunnel before Nino’s and onto the field to the finish line at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. lane at Battery