When thousands of runners line up at the start of the London Marathon next Sunday only a handful will carry the weight of tradition like Chris Finill. Having finished all of the previous 44 marathons staged on the streets of the capital, he is a member of the elite “Ever Present” club.
The retired father-of-three is set to run his 45th consecutive London Marathon next weekend – a feat matched by only five other men since the iconic race began in 1981. Chris, 66, joined Harrow Athletic Club 51 years ago and despite moving to Surrey decades ago he still runs for the club.
“I was a 22-year-old undergraduate when I ran the first one – now I am a retired grandfather,” he said. “Once I’d done one or two it just became part of the rhythm of the year. Why wouldn’t I do the third or the fourth? And then it snowballed.” The annual event has changed dramatically since the first one, which saw about 6,500 runners take part. Now more than 50,000 participants are expected to line up for this year’s event.
Life for Chris, of Cranleigh in Surrey, has also changed. He recently retired after a long career as a school bursar and also became a grandfather to one-year-old Jack. Looking back on the inaugural London Marathon he says: “The race was dominated by club runners and male athletes.
“Today, it’s a celebration of humanity: people running in memory of loved ones, raising millions for charity, or simply ticking off something from their bucket list.” Chris has completed 37 of his previous 44 London Marathons in under three hours, including 33 consecutively, which set a Guinness World Record.
He says: “I don’t usually run for charity. When you do it every year, it’s hard to keep asking the same people. But this year felt right.” The event has raised more than £1.3billion for charities since its launch and Chris will be running for the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in Farnham, Surrey, and the Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity. He said: “Now it’s not just about fast times, though many still chase them. It’s about finishing, it’s emotional, it’s personal. And that’s what makes it so special.”
Chris also mentors other runners on how to prepare for marathons, having learnt by experience during the past 45 years. He even completed one with a broken arm sustained three miles into the 2018 race, saying: “I didn’t know for sure it was broken, but I couldn’t move it without excruciating pain. The St John Ambulance team made me a make-shift sling and I ran the last 23 miles with it.”
His wife Julia, who has attended all 44 marathons, has also got the running bug, doing it twice herself. And their three children have completed the race, including daughter Jo, 34, a teacher in Bow, east London, who is running again this year. “She’s aiming for sub-3.30. But I think I might just beat her – though don’t tell her I said that,” he laughed. “People ask if I’ll ever give it up. But as long as I’m still able to run, I’ll keep going. It’s part of who I am.”
● The ballot for the 2026 TCS London Marathon opens on Friday until Friday, May 2. Sign up at tcslondonmarathon2026.com.
