When Clark Gardner, CEO of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, talks about the Cape Town Marathon, his voice carries conviction and quiet pride, someone who believes deeply in what South Africa can achieve when opportunity meets purpose.
“I’m the son of a carpenter,” he said. “I grew up in a very middle-class home and survived through sport. My father took pride in his craft, and I learned that whatever you put your name on must be something you’re proud of.”
That lesson guided him from entrepreneurship to sport, toward one of South Africa’s most ambitious dreams: turning the Cape Town Marathon into Africa’s first Abbott World Marathon Major, one of a select group of seven of the world’s most prestigious marathons, including Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo, Sydney, and the first ever hosted in a developing nation.
A Turning Point at Home
In 2018, after selling a financial payments company, Gardner considered taking time off to travel with his family. But his daughter preferred to stay home and keep their routine. That simple conversation became a turning point.
Instead of taking time away, Gardner decided to stay and build. “I wanted to be part of the solution,” he said. He focused on education and tourism, industries capable of creating opportunity while celebrating South Africa’s identity.
“We’ve got thirteen million unemployed people,” he explains. “Tourism can help change that. It gives jobs to people who are semi-skilled or unskilled, from the Uber driver to the person pouring your beer.”
It was the beginning of a philosophy that would eventually shape the Cape Town Marathon: doing well by doing good.
Sport as a Platform for Change
When the Cape Town Marathon, then owned by Elana Meyer and Francois Pienaar, became available, Gardner saw an opportunity to merge business with purpose. “I always loved sports and knew the benefits of sports,” he said. “When we bought the Cape Town Marathon in 2018, I realized we could elevate it.”
At that time, most endurance events in South Africa were organized by federations, clubs, and charities. “They didn’t really invest in themselves,” Gardner said. “They just put on the event each year instead of asking what it should look like in five or ten years.”
Through his company, FACES, Gardner began professionalizing the endurance landscape, building infrastructure and sustainability across trail runs, mountain-bike races, and the marathon itself.
“The professional managers weren’t used to professional outfits running these events,” he explained. “So, I took over as CEO to lead the marathon and raise its standards.” This was more than a leadership shift; it was a statement that Africa could, and should, set a global standard.
From Crisis to Catalyst
When COVID-19 hit, Gardner’s entrepreneurial instincts turned challenge into opportunity. “A crisis represents opportunity, and we are good with opportunity because we are entrepreneurs,” he said. When other races shut down, the Cape Town Marathon adapted. The team staged a virtual race, refunded anyone who didn’t want to run, and even paid for free on-site COVID testing to ensure safety.
“Financially, COVID put us two years behind,” Gardner said. “But doing the right thing put us five years ahead in building a trusted brand.” The decision reshaped how participants viewed them. “People realized we meant business,” he adds. “We weren’t just putting on an event, we were investing in the participant.”
It was also when the race’s mission grew clearer: to show that Africa could lead, innovate, and inspire through sport.
A Stage for Africa
“How can 85 percent of the top 50 elite marathon runners in the world come from Africa, yet the continent doesn’t have its own Major?” Gardner asks. “In fact, Eliud Kipchoge has never competed in a marathon on his own continent, and his family has never seen him run. We wanted to change that.” “We wanted to give this gift to our elite African athletes,” he said. “We owe it to them.”
Running in Cape Town, he believes, will ease the pressure many African athletes feel abroad. “You definitely have less pressure,” Gardner said. “You’re not crossing timelines or spending twelve hours on flights. There’s beauty and magic in giving great African athletes a chance to perform at home; to feel supported, to feel seen.”
One of Gardner’s proudest moments came when Glenrose Xaba, a South African runner, made her marathon debut. “We gave her a chance, took a risk on her, and she broke the Cape Town Marathon course record with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes,” he recalled. “It was such a patriotic moment. The Kenyans and Ethiopians are dominating races worldwide, but here was a South African winning our race. Everyone went crazy. We gave her a chance, and she smashed it.” Moments like that, he said, define why the Cape Town Marathon exists.
Building Toward the Majors
The next step was clear: global recognition. Conversations with the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which evaluate and select candidate races, began soon after. “They said, ‘If your marathon is good enough, you’ll become a candidate,’” Gardner recalled.
By 2021, he realized that to do it properly, Cape Town had to become part of the Majors. “There’s magic behind the Majors, their marketing works, their collaboration works,” he said.
Mentorship soon followed. “Wayne Larden and Sydney opened our eyes,” Gardner said. “Then Dawna Stone took over at Abbott World Marathon Majors, and I knew she was serious about expanding the series and adding other races.”
After two failed evaluations in 2022 and 2023, Gardner gave his team a new structure. “At the start of 2024, I said, ‘We have to get a pass this year.’ So, I gave everyone an A3 diary.” Each page represented one month and carried the headline: Goal: Become a World Marathon Major.
“Four key areas: no parked cars, a stronger elite field, better crowd flow, improved signage,” he said. “Each department had deadlines for what they needed to deliver.” It worked. “We failed twice,” Gardner said. “But in 2024 we passed, unconditionally.”
And yet, amid the technical milestones, Gardner kept returning to the bigger picture: this would be Africa’s moment—loyalty, legacy, and sponsors with African roots.
Gardner’s loyalty to the race’s partners runs deep.
“We’re very proud of our title sponsor, Sanlam,” he said. “Their mission is to be Pan-African champions in financial services, and our goal is to be African champions in the Major space, on African soil. We see eye to eye.” He credits adidas with a pivotal role in the marathon’s growth.
“adidas has been magnificent,” Gardner said. “They’ve had this Run for Africa campaign for the last two years. It has attracted big numbers and helped us grow our finish-line participation.” “I don’t think we would have come this far without adidas,” he added. “We’ll stay loyal to them. It’s easy once you’re a champion to go support the champion, but the people who took a risk on us and believed in us, we’re going to stay true to them.”
The Ripple Effect of Becoming a Major
For Gardner, becoming a Major isn’t just a medal of prestige; it’s an engine of progress. “In terms of global impact, what we were really looking for is more tourism,” he said. “That will motivate the City of Cape Town to build more infrastructure. It’s about giving people belief and purpose, creating momentum for the entire region.” Every detail, he added, must honor that vision. “We were not chasing size or status. We were chasing impact.”
Looking Ahead: 2025 and Beyond
“We are three times better prepared, with three times deeper plans and twice the team,” Gardner said. “We’re ready to succeed.”
The course will remain the same when the marathon officially becomes a Major. Growth, he emphasized, will be steady. “We’ll start with around 27,000 runners and eventually grow to 35,000 or 40,000,” he said. “But we won’t rush. About 15 percent growth per year feels right.”
This year, Gardner promises “more theater.” “We’re showcasing more than just running,” he explained. “We’re bringing in South Africa, the sights, the culture, the feeling of being in Cape Town.”
The expo will feature immersive experiences, such as a safari display, designed to inspire runners to extend their stay. “We want people to see what it would be like to recover after the marathon,” he said. “If they stay for three days, imagine doing it in the beautiful Kruger National Park.”
When asked whether becoming a World Major might make the race feel exclusive, Gardner doesn’t hesitate. “I think it’s how you position it,” he said. “Being a people’s race starts with intention, staying accessible, welcoming, and true to who we are.”
To that end, the marathon offers 2,000 free entries to South Africans who can’t afford to register. Runners write in to share why they want to participate, and bibs are distributed from those stories. “Inclusivity is part of our purpose,” Gardner said. “We want this to be a race for everyone, runners, spectators, and volunteers alike.”
The African Spirit
“This isn’t a European marathon on African soil,” Gardner said. “It’s going to have African rhythm, dancing at the start line, singing, drumming. You’ll feel the warmth. It’s a first-world event with an African soul.” He described it as “the best participant experience, but with the joy of the African spirit.”
“That’s the flavor that will come through everywhere,” he said. “From the drummers to the singers to the clothing worn by the activists along the route, it’s true to Africa, unique to the world.” Looking five to ten years ahead, Gardner is clear about how he wants the world to see the event.
“The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will be regarded as the best participant experience in terms of its unique African flavor, celebrating Africa, celebrating Africans, and celebrating the elites who come here and perform so well.”
“We’re not trying to be London or Berlin,” he adds. “We’re not going to be that fast, and we’re okay with that. We’re not going to be the biggest, and we don’t want to be. We’re trying to be the best version of who we are.”
A Collective Victory
When asked how it will feel when Cape Town officially becomes the eighth Abbott World Marathon Major, Gardner pauses. “We’ve been incredibly proud,” he said, “but that pride would extend to something bigger; this would be a collective victory.”
“This isn’t about us. This isn’t about me. This is about Cape Town, South Africa. It’s about Africa itself. It’s about the suburbs that gave up their Sunday parking, the businesses that closed for a day so we could host this race, the volunteers, the marshals, the city, and the sponsors who’ve stood with us for years. This will be a collective victory.”
“We don’t want any shine on ourselves,” Gardner adds. “We’d rather be remembered as the people who helped a whole city come together to chase something truly special.”
One Word
Asked to describe the Cape Town Marathon in a single word, Gardner doesn’t hesitate. “The vibe,” he said. “The African spirit, or as we say in Afrikaans, die gees. It’s something you can feel. And once you do, you never forget it.”
Dr. Maria Bendeck is a board-certified internal medicine physician, freelance writer, world traveler, avid marathon runner, and community builder. She believes in embracing life to the fullest by exploring new places, helping others, and empowering people through writing.
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