powered by
INSPIRATION
Kaare has a remarkable TTOM record of 41 medals, and he has lined up in an unbroken sequence of 44 TTOM events since 1980, except for the two years when the event was cancelled due to COVID. He earned his Light Blue Number in 2025, so will be running in Number 2338 for the first time this year, as usual with wife Marlene running nearby.
1. 2.
Kaare James Age: 82 31 Ultra Marathon medals – Blue Number 196 10 Half Marathon medals – Light Blue Number 2338
How does it feel to be one of the oldest BNCs in the 2026 event? It’ s a big privilege!
What’ s your main goal for race day, and what are you looking forward to most in the 2026 race? I just want to get to the finish in one piece and enjoy my race. No rushing, no sweat, just enjoy it.
3.
Do you approach the TTOM any differently now than when you started running the event? Well, I’ m not running the Ultra anymore, but I still stick to what I used to do... putting one foot in front of the other and getting to the end, please. That has always worked for me.
4.
What is your standout memory of your Two Oceans career?
Wow, there are so many! I can remember my very first Two Oceans started at Brookside, the Villagers rugby grounds. There was Harold Berman on the loudhailer, telling us to mind all the bumps in the field, and when we all got to the gate to get out of the grounds, it was a huge bottleneck. The next year, Chet Sainsbury was now in charge of Oceans, and that gate and part of the fence was gone, and it was wide enough to get a bus through there!
5.
What are your thoughts about the Blue Number Club?
I always liked that you could buy special clothing just for the Blue Number Club people, and I’ m glad to hear it is coming back this year. Overall, it’ s nice that the Blue Number Club is being looked after, and I hope all the old runners appreciate that.
Marlene sits joint second on the alltime list of most Half finishes, and with Allan Knighton-Fitt, holder of the record 26 Half medals, not due to run this year, she is set to join him at the top of the list( as is 71-yearold Richard Hook). Marlene has not missed a TTOM Half since lining up in 1999, and at 82, still runs most weekend races with husband Kaare.
1.
Marlene James
Age: 82 1 Ultra Marathon medal 25 Half Marathon medals – Light Blue Number 60
How does it feel to be one of the oldest BNCs in the 2026 event?
It really feels great, because people always tell me what an inspiration it is to the younger runners. It’ s a privilege that we’ re still running at our age, and it’ s wonderful to see so many 80-year-olds running these days. There’ s actually a bit of a challenge in our age category now!
2.
What’ s your main goal for race day, and what are you looking forward to most in the 2026 race? At this age, I’ m just aiming to start, have a good run and be there at the finish.
3.
Do you approach the TTOM any differently now than when you started running the event? I hope to keep going as long as my body will allow me to run, so I just enjoy it, and hopefully get as far as I can.
4.
What is your standout memory of your Two Oceans career?
I’ ve run the Half 25 times, and they’ ve all been good runs, I’ ve enjoyed every one. I only missed the first one in 1998 because we had overseas visitors, but I’ ve run every one since 1999.
5.
What are your thoughts about the Blue Number Club? It’ s nice to be at the Blue Number Club and meet up with friends who’ ve also been running for a long time, to compare notes and just enjoy the company of runners who we’ ve known for so many years.
87