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The 100th Comrades · 13 June 2027The Isavel Roche-Kelly medal: what it takes
The Isavel Roche-Kelly medal is for women finishing from 11th place to under seven hours. That is an average of 4:40 per kilometre over about 90 km, and as a guide it takes a marathon of about 2:44:00or faster. Type your own marathon to see where you land.
On that marathon, aim for Isavel Roche-Kelly.
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 Isavel Roche-Kelly
| Finish | under 7:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Average pace | 4:40/km for the cut-off; 4:37/km for a five-minute margin (6:55:00) |
| Even-pace halfway | 3:30:00 at 45 km — and the second half is slower for nearly everyone, so be ahead of it |
| Marathon that points to it | about 2:44:00 |
| The same fitness at shorter races | half marathon about 1:19:00 · 10 km about 36:00 |
| Race day | Sunday, 13 June 2027 |
Where the name comes from
In 1980 Isavel Roche-Kelly ran the Comrades in 7:18 — the first woman under seven and a half hours. The medal in her name was first awarded for sub-7:30; its cut-off has since been revised to under seven hours, so check the rules for 2027.
How people earn it
A sub-7 down run is close to a 2:45 marathon and a serious ultra build: weekly long runs past 50 km, back-to-back weekends, and practised fuelling. Women who earn it usually run conservatively to Drummond, then hold pace as the field fades on the last climbs.
For that fitness, Race Shape would set easy runs no faster than 4:26/km (4:48/km if you train in Johannesburg), marathon pace about 3:59/km and threshold about 3:45/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 Isavel Roche-Kelly plan — free to buildSee your whole block before you pay.
Common questions
What time do you need for a Isavel Roche-Kelly medal?
Under 7:00:00: women finishing from 11th place to under seven hours.
What marathon time do I need for a Isavel Roche-Kelly medal?
As a guide, about 2:44:00 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 Isavel Roche-Kelly medal?
4:40 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 Isavel Roche-Kelly 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 Isavel Roche-Kelly medal named after?
In 1980 Isavel Roche-Kelly ran the Comrades in 7:18 — the first woman under seven and a half hours. The medal in her name was first awarded for sub-7:30; its cut-off has since been revised to under seven hours, so check the rules for 2027.