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The 100th Comrades · 13 June 2027The Robert Mtshali medal: what it takes
The Robert Mtshali medal is for everyone finishing from nine hours to under ten. That is an average of 6:40 per kilometre over about 90 km, and as a guide it takes a marathon of about 3:55:00or faster; quicker than about 3:31:00 points to the medal above. Type your own marathon to see where you land.
On that marathon, aim for Robert Mtshali; Bill Rowan is possible on a very good day.
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 Robert Mtshali
| Finish | 9:00:00 to 9:59:59 |
|---|---|
| Average pace | 6:40/km for the cut-off; 6:37/km for a five-minute margin (9:55:00) |
| Even-pace halfway | 5:00:00 at 45 km — and the second half is slower for nearly everyone, so be ahead of it |
| Marathon that points to it | about 3:55:00 (faster than 3:31:00 points to the medal above) |
| The same fitness at shorter races | half marathon about 1:53:00 · 10 km about 51:00 |
| Race day | Sunday, 13 June 2027 |
Where the name comes from
Robert Mtshali ran the Comrades in 1935, the first black athlete to do so — unofficially, at a time when he was not allowed to enter. The medal in his name was introduced in 2019 for the nine-to-ten-hour band.
How people earn it
A marathon of about 3:55 points here. This is where a planned run–walk strategy starts to pay: walking the steepest hills from the beginning, not when the legs insist, keeps the pace even and the last 30 km runnable.
For that fitness, Race Shape would set easy runs no faster than 6:14/km (6:46/km if you train in Johannesburg), marathon pace about 5:37/km and threshold about 5:18/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 Robert Mtshali plan — free to buildSee your whole block before you pay.
Common questions
What time do you need for a Robert Mtshali medal?
9:00:00 to 9:59:59: everyone finishing from nine hours to under ten.
What marathon time do I need for a Robert Mtshali medal?
As a guide, about 3:55:00 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 Robert Mtshali medal?
6:40 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 Robert Mtshali 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 Robert Mtshali medal named after?
Robert Mtshali ran the Comrades in 1935, the first black athlete to do so — unofficially, at a time when he was not allowed to enter. The medal in his name was introduced in 2019 for the nine-to-ten-hour band.