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The 100th Comrades · 13 June 2027The Vic Clapham medal: what it takes
The Vic Clapham medal is for everyone finishing from eleven hours to inside the twelve-hour cut-off. That is an average of 8:00 per kilometre over about 90 km, and as a guide it takes a marathon of about 4:41:00or faster; quicker than about 4:18:00 points to the medal above. Type your own marathon to see where you land.
On that marathon, aim for Vic Clapham; Bronze 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 Vic Clapham
| Finish | 11:00:00 to 11:59:59 |
|---|---|
| Average pace | 8:00/km for the cut-off; 7:57/km for a five-minute margin (11:55:00) |
| Even-pace halfway | 6:00:00 at 45 km — and the second half is slower for nearly everyone, so be ahead of it |
| Marathon that points to it | about 4:41:00 (faster than 4:18:00 points to the medal above) |
| The same fitness at shorter races | half marathon about 2:17:00 · 10 km about 1:02:00 |
| Race day | Sunday, 13 June 2027 |
Where the name comes from
Vic Clapham founded the Comrades in 1921 as a memorial to the soldiers of the First World War. The medal in his name goes to the last finishers inside the twelve hours — and the gun at twelve hours is final.
How people earn it
A marathon up to about 4:40 points here, which means intermediate cut-offs matter. Know them before race day, plan a run–walk from the first kilometre, and do not spend minutes in the first half that the last 20 km will need.
For that fitness, Race Shape would set easy runs no faster than 7:26/km (8:03/km if you train in Johannesburg), marathon pace about 6:42/km and threshold about 6:20/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 Vic Clapham plan — free to buildSee your whole block before you pay.
Common questions
What time do you need for a Vic Clapham medal?
11:00:00 to 11:59:59: everyone finishing from eleven hours to inside the twelve-hour cut-off.
What marathon time do I need for a Vic Clapham medal?
As a guide, about 4:41:00 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 Vic Clapham medal?
8:00 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 Vic Clapham 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 Vic Clapham medal named after?
Vic Clapham founded the Comrades in 1921 as a memorial to the soldiers of the First World War. The medal in his name goes to the last finishers inside the twelve hours — and the gun at twelve hours is final.