21.6 How different are the “up” and “down” races?

As the races take place in different years over different distances in different directions, comparisons are inexact.

Figure 21.10: Comparisons of best times in hours for the “up” (dark orange) and “down” (black) races since 1921

In general the best times for the “up” races are slightly higher than the best times for the closest “down” races. Race distances for each year are given on the Marathon’s webpage, so that the average pace of the races can be compared too (Figure 21.11). Speeds are faster for the “down” races than the “up” races. The “down” races are slightly longer as Figure 21.12 shows.

Figure 21.11: Average speed of the fastest runners (above) and of the median runners (below) in km/hr for the “up” (dark orange) and “down” (black) races since 1970

Figure 21.12: Distances in km for the “up” (dark orange) and “down” (black) races since 1970 and a profile plot for the down race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban that was planned for 2020

The “down” race is not all downhill and the “up” race is not all uphill, but overall there is a difference of around 700 m in elevation between Pietermaritzburg and Durban as the profile plot for the planned, but cancelled, 2020 Comrades Marathon shows (28East (2022)).