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The 100th Comrades · 13 June 2027The Bill Rowan medal: what it takes
The Bill Rowan medal is for everyone finishing from 7:30 to under nine hours. That is an average of 6:00 per kilometre over about 90 km, and as a guide it takes a marathon of about 3:31:00or faster; quicker than about 2:56:00 points to the medal above. Type your own marathon to see where you land.
On that marathon, aim for Bill Rowan.
Every medal, and what it takes
| Medal | Finish under | Pace | Marathon needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wally Hayward (men) | 6:00:00 | 4:00/km | about 2:20:43 |
| Isavel Roche-Kelly (women) | 7:00:00 | 4:40/km | about 2:44:11 |
| Silver (men from 6:00) | 7:30:00 | 5:00/km | about 2:55:54 |
| Bill Rowan | 9:00:00 | 6:00/km | about 3:31:05 |
| Robert Mtshali | 10:00:00 | 6:40/km | about 3:54:32 |
| Bronze | 11:00:00 | 7:20/km | about 4:18:00 |
| Vic Clapham | 12:00:00 | 8:00/km | about 4:41:27 |
The numbers for the Bill Rowan
| Finish | 7:30:00 to 8:59:59 |
|---|---|
| Average pace | 6:00/km for the cut-off; 5:57/km for a five-minute margin (8:55:00) |
| Even-pace halfway | 4:30:00 at 45 km — and the second half is slower for nearly everyone, so be ahead of it |
| Marathon that points to it | about 3:31:00 (faster than 2:56:00 points to the medal above) |
| The same fitness at shorter races | half marathon about 1:42:00 · 10 km about 46:00 |
| Race day | Sunday, 13 June 2027 |
Where the name comes from
Bill Rowan won the first Comrades in 1921 in 8:59. The medal in his name, introduced in 2000, is awarded for beating his winning time — which is why the cut-off is nine hours and not eight and a half.
How people earn it
The most sought-after medal in the field for strong club runners. A marathon around 3:30 points to it, but a marginal 3:30 is rarely enough. The usual approach: a disciplined first half, short planned walks only where the hills demand them, and enough long-run work that 70 km still feels controlled.
For that fitness, Race Shape would set easy runs no faster than 5:38/km (6:07/km if you train in Johannesburg), marathon pace about 5:04/km and threshold about 4:47/km. A full 24-week block for the Comrades starts on Monday Monday, 21 December 2026; a plan built later counts back from race day and fits the weeks that are left.
Medal standards as published by the race organisers. Check the official rules for the year you run before you plan around a cut-off.
Build my Bill Rowan plan — free to buildSee your whole block before you pay.
Common questions
What time do you need for a Bill Rowan medal?
7:30:00 to 8:59:59: everyone finishing from 7:30 to under nine hours.
What marathon time do I need for a Bill Rowan medal?
As a guide, about 3:31:00 or faster. Real finishers average about 2.56× their marathon over this distance, so a marginal qualifier is rarely enough on the day.
What pace is a Bill Rowan medal?
6:00 per kilometre on average to finish at the cut-off. With walk breaks, your running pace has to be quicker than that.
When should I start training for the Bill Rowan medal?
A full 24-week block for the Sunday, 13 June 2027 race starts on Monday Monday, 21 December 2026, on top of a marathon base. Start dates for every race.
Who is the Bill Rowan medal named after?
Bill Rowan won the first Comrades in 1921 in 8:59. The medal in his name, introduced in 2000, is awarded for beating his winning time — which is why the cut-off is nine hours and not eight and a half.