November 2025 - The Running Mann

12th November 202512th November 2025

Two Oceans Marathon Ballot 2 (No need for a recount)

Here’s all the stats and facts about the second ballot draw for the 2026 Two Oceans Marathon.

The total number of available entries in ballot 2 were:

Ultra 2,900 with 8,096 applicants in the selection pool
Half 2,350 with 18,006 applicants in the selection pool

This was made up from a small allocation of entries held back from ballot 1 (primarily as a risk mitigation approach to ensure permit levels were not breached as in 2025) and 1,617 ultra and 1,553 successful ballot 1 entries that were not paid by the deadline of 31 October. A very small number of applicants who were found guilty of cheating at the 2025 event were also removed from the pool.

11th November 202511th November 2025

Press Release: Julian Karp – First African to Complete 1000 Marathons

Julian Karp is set to become the first African to complete 1000 marathons at this year’s Soweto Marathon on Saturday 29 November.

10th November 202510th November 2025

The Running Mann’s Guide to December 2025 Marathons

This article provides detailed information on all South Africa’s December 2025 marathons including race descriptions and recommendations. You can find the full 2025 marathon / ultra calendar here.

A summary of your choices is below:

9th November 20259th November 2025

Karpe Diem (Julian’s Journey to 1000 Marathons)

This article was originally published in the official 2025 Comrades Marathon Souvenir Race Magazine and was edited by Sean Falconer.

Julian Karp loves running marathons, and he has traversed every corner of the country to get his marathon-running fix, making him probably the most recognised recreational runner on South African roads. (If you have not seen Julian’s flowing locks of hair and ripped physique on the road somewhere near you, can you call yourself a real runner?) Now he has his sights set on another incredible marathoning feat at this year’s Comrades Marathon. – BY STUART MANN

Julian Karp: Probably the most recognised recreational runner on South African roads (Photo: Dean Venish)

I’ve known Julian since well before he ran his 20^th marathon… which was many years before I ran my first. At the time, I was a student with a hairstyle rivalling Julian’s famous locks, and I was earning some extra cash by waitering in a Spur. Julian was a regular customer who would come in after a gym session, for a grilled chicken burger and a side salad. He ran with my father, so I’d often alleviate the boredom of a quiet shift with a conversation about running.

5th November 20257th November 2025

Otter Trail Challenge (Bringing a knife to a gunfight)

This is the second of two articles on the Otter Trail Challenge. Part one deals with how a wobbly road runner so to the start line. Part two deals with the race itself.

The Otter Trail is South Africa’s most famous hiking trail and the Garden Route National Park, where it is located, is the third biggest public tourist attraction in South Africa in terms of number of visitors (after the Kruger National Park and Table Mountain). The Otter Trail is within an exclusive area of the national park and entrance into the park is throttled at just 12 people per day who are allowed to start the hike which is completed over 5 days and 4 nights.

Just 12 people a day get to experience the Otter Trail which is completed over 5 days.

Once a year they get rid of the hikers and allow 300 people to run the trail in a day on the Thursday for the more recreational Challenge and another 300 on the Saturday for the much more competitive Race. I was one of the fortunate few who got an entry for the Thursday Challenge trail run (courtesy of title sponsors EasyEquities) which must be completed in under 11 hours over incredibly technical terrain to earn a finish.

4th November 20257th November 2025

The Otter Trail Challenge (A Long Prologue)

This is the first of two articles on the Otter Trail Challenge. Part one deals with how a wobbly road runner so to the start line. Part two deals with the race itself.

Gary Player is well-known for saying, “The harder I practice, the luckier I get.” There is something to that, although in my case I’ve recently found that the more I write (and talk) the luckier I’ve got. After the November 2024 Comrades AGM, newly elected Board Member Carel Nolte asked to meet for a coffee. He would be heading up the Communications Portfolio and was keen to chat about working together. Having written so much about the problems at Comrades, I jokingly asked whether he was following a “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer approach.”

3rd November 20253rd November 2025

Comrades 2025: Silly Stats

This is part of a series of statistics articles on Comrades 2025. Other articles published: entry stats, shoe s t ats, qualification marathon stats, elite men, elite women.

Performance by Star Sign

Now time to get onto the really serious statistics – how does your star sign impact your performance at the Comrades Marathon? Full disclosure: As a Taurus, I am naturally far too pragmatic, sensible and stubborn to believe in nonsense like astrology but thought I’d humour the gullible Pisces and Cancerians out there.

Libras are the fastest to qualify and the fastest on the day, Sagittarian entrants are the most likely to arrive at the start and Pisces have the best chance of finishing. I have deliberately used a scale that that makes minor differences look statistically significant.