Running fanatic Julian Karp prepares for a record 1,000th official marathon

Running a single marathon or ultramarathon is a strenuous mental and physical undertaking on its own. One South African man, Julian Karp, has officially embarked on this physically demanding activity a staggering 999 times. If he counted the unsanctioned marathons he’s run, his tally would be much higher.

Karp found himself in the marathon runners’ circle coincidentally. The Johannesburg-born endurance athlete gravitated towards the sport as part of rehab after a serious knee injury. He had always been athletic, participating in sports such as tennis and soccer while growing up in Greenside.

His injury meant that he had to steer clear of any contact sports, so he began running. In 1990, he ran his first official marathon when he completed the Peninsula Marathon.

He has not looked back since. Even as the 65-year-old’s body is shouting at him to slow down, he cannot help himself. He started 2025 sitting on 984 official race finishes and has added just over 10 to his tally.

“The major reason I run is the enjoyment, the passion and the people. I’ve been to places in South Africa and Africa that I would never have gone to if it weren’t for running. That’s the most fantastic part about this. It’s been my key to meeting people, to travelling around Africa – it’s something I love,” Karp told Daily Maverick.

“Obviously, the fitness side as well. Plus, it helps reduce stress levels. It’s a very great way of life.”

Running Africa

In 2016, the now-retired finance expert ran a staggering 62 marathons. This streak consisted of 50 standard marathons (42km) and 12 ultramarathons (anything above the standard distance). He ran some of these marathons in other African countries.

“That was a fantastic year. It was the year when I almost went right through Africa, right up to Uganda. I had a fantastic year of travelling. Going to places like Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia and Zimbabwe. These countries are fantastic! They are passionate running countries,” Karp said.

“To meet people who have the same passion as you all over Africa? It’s just such a fantastic feeling.”

A veteran’s advice

What’s the secret behind Karp’s success and resilience, including his ability to run two consecutive marathons on a weekend?

Karp says there is no single factor, adding that the way he approaches running has evolved with every marathon ticked off his bucket list. His age has also influenced how he approaches the sport.

“If you look after yourself and rest nicely during the week, running back-to-back marathons on a Saturday and Sunday is fine. And you don’t race every marathon. You choose the marathons you want to race. The rest are all run within your comfort zone, so that you don’t take too much out of the body,” Karp explained.

“When I first started, it was about your diet and all these sorts of things… training your body in the gym and making sure you get your mileage in. But as you get older and the body becomes more used to running, your fitness levels will always remain good,” he said.

“As you get older, it also becomes difficult to train a lot during the week and then run on weekends, because the body starts getting a little bit tired of the distance. Then injuries happen, and these sorts of things.

“So, preparation for a marathon for me initially was a big deal. I used to carbo-load in the old days, when that was believed to be the right thing to do. I used to rest properly. I used to train at clubs regularly, doing interval training and time trials,” Karp said.

“But in the last 10 years, as I’ve got so close to 1,000 marathons, my body’s started giving me quite a bit of strain. So, I had to cut that down and reduce my running during the week; do a bit more gym work to strengthen.

“When it comes to preparation, every athlete is different and every run is different. So, I always just say, go out and enjoy it. It’s also very important to join a club. Get into their routines, do their midweek runs, do their long training runs on the weekend – just run with people. Then you’ll realise how great a sport running is.”

Soweto-bound

For sentimental reasons, Karp picked the 2025 Soweto Marathon as the race to complete his 1,000th race.

“I did the first Soweto Marathon in December 1993, a year before independence. That was such a fantastic race that I’ve gone back 18 times,” Karp said. “Every year it gets better and better running through Soweto… It’s just such a fantastic race. That’s a feel-good race that every South African marathon runner should do.”

Of course, this year’s edition – scheduled for Saturday (29 November) – hangs in the balance. Infighting has created a cloud of uncertainty around whether the marathon will proceed as planned. If it does not take place, Karp’s buffer for his milestone will be the Bluff Marathon in Durban.

Among his mammoth marathon haul are 29 Comrades Marathon finishes. But Karp says he is most likely finished with that race due to its physical demands and the condition of his body.

“I’m struggling with severe hip and back issues. After the Soweto Marathon, I’m going to take time off and see if I can sort out my hip and back. I don’t know if I’ll ever run [the Comrades] again.” DM