Julian Karp crossed his 1000th marathon finish at Soweto with runners forming a trail of support behind him, setting an African record.
Soweto, South Africa (01 December 2025) – Running with race number A1000 and crossing the finish line of his 1000th marathon? How fitting.
But what made the moment iconic was not just the number on his bib. It was the people behind him.
As South African endurance runner Julian Karp approached the finish line at the Soweto Marathon, a group of runners formed behind him. This was not to chase him, but to celebrate him. They ran in solidarity, holding signs with his name, cheering him on with every step. A moving guard of honour, created not by officials, but by everyday runners who knew they were witnessing history.
He crossed the line in an unofficial time of 5 hours and 21 minutes, but time did not matter. What mattered was the journey.
Julian ran his first marathon back in 1990, the Peninsula. What began as six marathons a year turned into a lifestyle. By 2003, with the Comrades cut-off extended and more marathons popping up across the country, he decided not just to run, but to run as many as he could.
He kept that promise. And now, as he completed his 1000th marathon at the Soweto Marathon on Saturday, 29 November, there couldn’t be a more fitting stage.
Soweto Marathon, known as The People’s Race. A race of unity. A race of resilience.
A race where history runs past you.
To date, Julian has completed:
- 18 Soweto Marathons
- 280 Ultra-Marathons
- 29 Comrades Marathons
- 25 Two Oceans Marathons
But this weekend, when he stood at the start line with race number A1000, he was not alone. Because sometimes, the greatest finish is carried by the people who run behind you.
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Sources: Soweto Marathon
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