Pieterse, famous for his leadership of ‘Vlam se Bus’, has run 21 Comrades Marathons and will help lead the popular bus along the 87km route. Laubscher is also a seasoned Comrades runner, with 11 medals, while Camper has earned 17 medals.

The 11-Hour Bus will be led by Isaac Mabula, with help from accomplished marathoner Cheanne Mare van Tonder. Mabula is also vastly experienced, with 23 Comrades finishes to his name.

The tough 9-Hour Bus will be led by 11-time medallist Johan van Tonder, and he’ll be backed up by a team of hardened Bill Rowan runners, who will take over the flag should Van Tonder encounter any problems.

“The Runner’s World Pacesetters have become as much a part of Comrades as the medals they run for,” says Mike Finch, editor of Runner’s World. “This year we have recruited our most experienced team yet, to ensure that the runners who follow the buses are paced perfectly and enjoy every step of the run.”

The Runner’s World Pacesetters will be on hand at the Comrades Expo to answer any questions about the race between 13:00 and 15:00 on Friday, 31 May, and from 11:00 to 13:00 on Saturday, 1 June, at the Runner’s World stand.