These cutoffs are perfect. No one should be using the cutoffs for pacing. If you make an in-race cutoff in the final minute you have 0% chance of earning a medal – I am willing to take any bet that there will be no one who makes an in-race cutoff by 60 seconds or less and earns a medal. In fact, I’ll be surprised if anyone makes an in-race cutoff by 5 minutes or less and earns a medal. That is exactly the way it should be.
Cutoffs are not for pacing. The only cutoff that should matter is getting to the finish line in under 12 hours. All the others should be irrelevant. No in-race cutoff should prevent someone, even with a 1% chance, of their shot at glory.
True, no one will run the final 8.5km in 30 minutes or less (it should however be noted that over 50% of H batch runners in 2024 ran the last split faster than any other). Someone could run the last 8.5k in under 40 minutes. There is no cost of leaving the gates at 45th cutting open for an extra 10 minutes. Err on the side of caution.
If I do arrive at 45th cutting from the second batch with a running time of 11:29:59 there is 0% chance I will finish under 12 hours. No one is asking me to run 3:30min/km over the last 8.5km. The mission is, and always was, to run 89.98 kilometres in under 12 hours.
The choice is mine whether I want to get in the bailer bus or soldier on for another 8.5km and finish after the cutoff. Who are we to decide?
These cutoffs do not make Comrades easier, they make Comrades fairer for everyone. Your fate is in your own hands (or should that be legs?).
In-race cutoffs are paradoxical, so here’s an analogy for those still struggling with the concept…
If you have a loved one on life support and there is a 50% chance they’ll survive, do you pull the plug? No (well hopefully not anyway unless they are a jogger and you have something against joggers).
If you have a loved one on life supportand there is a 10% chance they’ll survive, do you pull the plug? No.
If you have a loved one on life support and there is a 1% chance they’ll survive, do you pull the plug? No.
If you have a loved one on life support and there is a 0% chance they’ll survive, that’s when you pull the plug?
I will of course be running the stats after the race and look forward to seeing who the last person was through each in-race cutoff that still managed to earn a medal. Those people will have some great stories to tell and I’d be keen to tell them! I am just so super glad that I will not be writing any articles about unfair cutoffs this year.
Good one Running Mann. Look forward to reading your post race analysis of the runners (not joggers) who scraped through the cut off times and received a finishers medal, and those that didn’t.
I have never run Comrades, I am 64 but have been an active runner all my life. Have been watching Cromardes live as long as I can remember.
Maybe I am a hypocritical by saying the following, I think that needs more debating is not just the cut-off times…but mere fact that there should be more stricter qualifying times based on age and gender.
One qualifying time for female and male and over all age-groups seem very discriminating.
A lady of 60 years are expected to qaulify at same time as a man of 30..kind of ridiculous from the outside..
Then we will see less injury problems and less people not making the cutoff times!
Keep on running
Regards
Adri
I have to disagree. These cutoffs present false hope for someone with zero chance of finishing. The cutoffs should be a good indication to any runner wether they should keep fighting or try again next year. They’re supposed to be a safety net and sense of reassurance that your Comrades medal is still possible and worth fighting for. Forcing a ravaged body to go faster and faster is a recipe for disaster.
In 2025, the cutoffs are more of a functional organisational number than a guide as to whether you’ll get to the end in time.
In this years London marathon (42km – not a typo), Colin Tribe crossed the line in 10hrs 22 min in the evening twilight but still as an official finisher.
For Adri, if you let the more senior amongst us have extended 42km qualifying times, you’ll need extended finishing times.
Finishing Comrades in 18 hours isn’t a practical option.
For Thys, I think the responsibility must lie with the runner to set his or her own individual cutoffs to know whether there’s still a chance to get across the finishline in time.
Hi I agree the comrades cutoffs are excellent this year. I also agree with Adri qualifying times should be based on age. Good luck to everyone running this year. See you at the finish.
The Cato Ridge cut-off makes no sense. How is possible that a runner who does the first third of the race in 5hr10 is expected to jump from 11.10/km to 6.50/km to finish the remaining 60km of race? I think CMA should be realistic here!
Dear Guy
Thx for comment. I actually not debating for longer qualification times for older athletes.
Rather more faster qualification times for our younger athletes and different qualification times for male and female agegroups.
That way we will see less scrambling for cut- off time, more fitter athletes and less injuries. As well less pressure on water tables and medical personnel.
Example: 70+males/60+ females 4h45 marathon 60- 69 males/ 50-59 females 4h30…etc up to males 19-30 males 3h 30 females 19 -3 5females 3H45…
Batches can then start as to their qaulifing times irredpective of age and gender…better flow and racing I believe will ensue
Regards Adri