Oldest ultramarathon

The oldest ultramarathon is the Comrades Marathon in South Africa, established on Empire Day, 24 May 1921, by First World War veteran Vic Clapham in memory of South African soldiers killed in World War I. It has been held annually ever since, apart from 1941–45 during World War II. It is also the largest ultramarathon, with typically around 20,00 entrants. The number for the 2015 Marathon was capped at 23,000 entrants. The race is approximately 90 km (56 miles) long, and runs between Pietermaritzburg, capital of KwaZulu-Natal Province, and Durban on the coast. It alternates annually between the arduous 'up' run from Durban and the 'down' run from Pietermaritzburg.