'My husband is 83 and has run every London Marathon - but I can't stop him'

One week ago, Mac Speake lined up at the start of the London Marathon and prayed his body would carry him to the end.

At 83, the retired GP is the eldest of a dwindling band of men, known as the Ever Presents, who have run every London Marathon since it began in 1981.

"I hope I will be able to do it again next year but I haven't decided yet. I would be a bit lost without it. It's been a huge part of my life, but this year was really hard," he says.

He is speaking from his home in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, where he has spent the past seven days recovering.

"I was doing really well until 22 miles when I blew it. I lost my balance and it all went a bit pear-shaped," he says.

During his 45 marathons, he has run with broken bones and norovirus so bad he vomited "gallons".

But he also has "the greatest memories", with his personal best of two hours and 44 minutes achieved in 1983.

His wife Ros has been to support him every year, apart from one, when she had a stroke.

She recalls their four children hanging off the gates of Buckingham Palace during the first event in 1981, when just 6,500 runners took part, compared to 56,000 this year.

"It was raining and the children were soaked and I couldn't get to the finish line to give Mac his clothes to change into. So it was a bit stressful," she says.

Four decades on, supporting Mac is still a bit stressful for Ros.

Along with their daughter, she had to almost carry him across the line this year.

He finished in nine hours and 14 minutes, half an hour quicker than last year - a race Mac went into with a bad back and which he describes as "catastrophic".

"I worry that his body can't take it anymore. But I could never stop him from doing it," says Ros.

After the 15th London Marathon in 1995, the group of 42 men who had completed every event were given a special medal and guaranteed entry to future races.

Now there are only six.

Mac has a strong bond with the other Ever Presents, and affectionately describes 66-year-old Chris Finill from Surrey as the baby of the group.

"Part of me doesn't want to be defined by the club but I have been doing this event since I was 22 and now I'm a grandfather," he says.

Chris joined Harrow Athletics Club at the age of 15 and still runs for them, taking the race just as seriously now as he did when he was younger.

"The elites and the people in fancy dress get a lot of attention but I like to think we represent the club runners who were at the core of that very first marathon," he says.

Chris has witnessed many changes to the marathon over the years, from the landscape, particularly around Canary Wharf, to the number of competitors and the crowds.

In the early days, it was difficult to find out how well you had performed.

"Chip timing wasn't a thing so if it took you a few minutes to reach the start line, that would be added on," Chris says.

"The Times used to publish a list so you would either read your official time in the paper the next day, or have to wait for it to arrive in the post."

In 2018, Chris completed the race despite breaking his arm in four places less than four miles (6km) in.

"I fell to the ground and landed on my arm straight and it was just hanging there. I got a sling and just carried on, then I went straight to hospital from the finish line."

He completed this year's race in three hours and 15 minutes and says there is some sadness as the group inevitably gets smaller.

One of the group died between marathons, while another was hit by a motorbike and could not take part.

Some have started the race knowing they would get a DNF (did not finish) while others have chosen a DNS (did not start), knowing they would not be able to complete it.

"Some have been persuaded by their friends and family that they are not quite strong enough. Everyone deals with it in a different way," he says.

Six nearly became five this year, when David Walker thought he would have to drop out after pulling a muscle in training.

However, he managed to complete the marathon virtually in just under 10 hours near his home in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, with the help of his sons.

Chris tries not to think about the day when he might be the last one standing.

"At the moment I'm not looking much further ahead but I would be thrilled if I got to 50 [races]. You have to take it one race at a time," he says.

He is full of admiration for Mac and the other Ever Presents, who he describes as a brotherhood.

"We're all trying to conquer the distance and we all want to see each other succeed.

"To me, as the youngest, it is a big deal seeing Mac and David out there on their feet for so many hours.

"I can only hope I'll be doing the same when I'm their age."

Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, says: "The Ever Presents are a very special part of London Marathon history.

"For most people, training and taking part in just one marathon is a monumental challenge. For these six individuals to have done it 45 times is simply incredible.

"We salute them all and hope to see them on the TCS London Marathon start line for many years to come."

The six men are part of a club they dread having to leave; one you can easily leave but no longer join.

"Nobody else can ever get in," Mac says. "There is almost a pressure to carry on, it has given me so much.

"I look back at my life and think 'I'm not very good at many things but at least I've achieved something.'

"I have to be careful because Ros is looking at me, but I think, on balance, I will give it another go next year."

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