Comrades deadline extended

THOSE who missed the cut-off date to register for this year’s 90th Comrades Marathon have until 4.30pm today to do so.

The Comrades Marathon Association has announced a special lifeline for runners who failed to submit their qualifying details by the May 4 deadline.

Chris Fisher, the association’s general manager, said: “In line with the CMA’s vision, we plan to make the 90th Comrades Marathon even more inclusive. We have decided to grant a dispensation to those runners who did not submit their qualifying details.”

Runners were only allowed to register at the Durban registration venue, at the Comrades expo, and not in Pietermaritzburg. They would have to start at the back of the race, as the allocation of seeding batches had already closed.

Fisher said: “We have been inundated with both threats and appeals from runners who missed the deadline to be allowed to run the celebratory edition of the race on Sunday, May 31, including some original excuses from runners as to why they had failed to submit these important details.

“One of our most important stakeholders are our runners, hence we have decided to allow this dispensation in line with the 90th Comrades celebration and a brand personality of empathy, character, humility and togetherness. At the end of the day, Comrades is about the spirit that accompanies the race. Comrades help other comrades. The 90th Comrades Marathon promises to be the best yet and we look forward to seeing more runners on the start line.’

The chairman of the association, Macdonald Chitja, said the decision had been taken with the interests of the runners and allowing them to “be part of it” in the celebratory running of the race.