London calling as pioneering 10 marathon runners retrace steps

It is a club which cannot admit new members and one where the current members rarely see each other.

The Ever Presents are 10 men who have run every single one of the 39 London Marathons but usually just meet for a quick hello before they head to the start line.

They used to meet up in a pub afterwards but that has become more difficult now their finish times vary from less than three hours to more than seven.

But the 10 of them spent a rare day together on Tuesday, gathering at the London Marathon offices before they attended the launch at Tower Bridge – for the landmark 40th race.

There they were presented with Spirit of the London Marathon medals by event director Hugh Brasher who later invited them on stage at Tower Bridge in front of an audience including famous faces such as broadcasters Sophie Raworth and Jenni Falconer and Olympic champion rower turned Strictly dancer James Cracknell.

“Thirty-nine years ago nobody thought it would get to what it has,” said Jeffrey Aston, 72, a retired IT consultant, from Cardiff.

David Walker, 74, a self-employed training consultant, from Chesham,

Bucks, said the first London Marathon in 1981 was “a big unknown”.

Bill O’connor, 74, from North Finchley, added: “The highest buildings in London at that time were probably St Paul’s Cathedral and the BT tower.”

Roger Low, 76, from Camden Town, north London, said runners are now supported the whole way round “by people clapping and saying ‘come on”.

“The change is from effectively running by yourself and today you are surrounded by people all the time.”

Mr Aston said Deep Heat once used an advertisement mentioning the 765th finisher and gave him a year’s supply and a certificate when he was placed 765th.

Picture: PA. Rare gathering of the Ever Presents as they look back on the changes since the first London Marathon.