In this episode of the UKRunChat podcast, we welcome Steve Till, a true endurance sport veteran. From finishing last in his first school race to representing Great Britain in 24-hour running events, from completing more than 100 marathons to walking 100 miles in under 24 hours as a Centurion, Steve has dedicated his life to the pursuit of distance. We explore the origins of his running journey, the highs and lows of competition, what fuels his passion, and what he’s learned over four decades of movement.
Steve has competed in 100km and 24-hour running events for his country, has won medals in
national championships, has run more than 100 marathons, over 500 parkruns, and is a Centurion, having race walked 100 miles in less than 24 hours.
But it wasn’t always that way. His running passion was ignited in 1971, watching the European Championships on TV, but he spent the first few years of his running life coming last in school sports day races and then university cross country events.
Finally hard work triumphed over talent, and he moved up the rankings, finally securing that
much-sought-after Great Britain call-up in 1996. Steve believes that having exactly the right target in any walk of life can supply all the motivation you need to put yourself in with a chance of achieving it. In his case, that was a GB vest; in yours, perhaps promotion, that dream job, doing Couch-to-5K or your first marathon. If you hit upon a goal and a light bulb goes on in your head and you say, “If I could just achieve that, I could die happy,” then you’ve got the right one.
That sort of goal is so compelling, it delivers all the impetus you need to do the work necessary to get there.
Here are 26 career highlights – above and below 26.2 miles!
2021 500th parkrun
2011 Ran Chicago Marathon
(Completing set of current Marathon Majors – London, Berlin, New York City, Boston, Chicago)
2003 100th marathon
1996 Represented GB in European 24-hour Championships
1996 Represented England in Anglo-Celtic Plate 100km Run Championships
(England beat Scotland, Ireland and Wales)
1996 Ran in 100th Boston Marathon
1995 2nd in National 24 hours Run Championships
1995 3rd in Compton 40 miles trail race
1994 3rd in National 24 hours Run Championships
1994 1st in Humberside 24 hours Run Championships
1994 3rd in National 100km Run Championships
1989 Ran New York City Marathon
1987 2nd in Solihull 24 hours Run Championships
1986 1st in Totton Half Marathon
1985 3rd in Southampton Marathon
1985 3rd in Surrey 50 miles Walk (successor to London to Brighton)
1984 Ran Berlin Marathon
1984 5th in Foster’s Quadrathon
(2m swim, 50km walk, 100m bike, marathon)
1984 2nd in London to Brighton Walk
1983 3rd in London to Brighton Walk
1983 6th in Foster’s Quadrathon
(2m swim, 50km walk, 100m bike, marathon)
1983 Surrey 100 miles Walk – qualified as Centurion 768
(Have to walk 100 in under 24 hours in a judged race)
1982 2nd in London to Brighton Walk
1982 3rd in Bradford 50km Walk
1981 7th in London to Brighton Walk (most famous ultradistance walk in the world)
1981 Ran 1st London Marathon'
Check out Steves website