On Sunday, around 57,000 runners will cross the finish line of the London Marathon, among them six remarkable men who have completed every single race since its inception in 1981. Known as the 'Ever Presents', the group originally had 42 members, all vowing to continue for as long as their bodies allowed. Over the decades, ill-health and injury have reduced their number to just six.
The remaining members, with a combined age of 465, include retired GP Mac Speake, 84; teacher Bill O'Connor, 80; retired training adviser David Walker, 80; retired IT consultant Jeff Aston, 78; retired headteacher Mike Peace, 76; and retired school bursar Chris Finill, 67. The London Marathon has guaranteed them places every year in recognition of their loyalty.
Finill, the youngest, recalled how marathon running was once seen as 'bonkers' but is now a bucket-list ambition. The group has witnessed the race grow from a niche event with 7,000 runners to a spectacle attracting over a million applicants. There is speculation the event may become a two-day affair by 2027 to accommodate more participants.
This year, David Walker will complete the race virtually from his home in Chesham, Bucks, nursing a suspected fractured rib. Mac Speake, meanwhile, is struggling with a pulled muscle but insists he will only stop when he cannot continue. Chris Finill once broke his arm during the 2018 race but finished with a makeshift sling.
No women remain in the group, as many who started in 1981 took breaks to have children, ending their consecutive runs. Today, 49 per cent of marathon participants are women, highlighting the sport's progress. The six Ever Presents aim to keep going, with Finill adding: 'You continue until you can't.'
