Two men from Suffolk are part of a select group of 10 runners who have completed every London Marathon - and are preparing to run their 40th this year.
The 'Ever Presents' have participated in every single London Marathon since the race was launched in 1981.
The group came together in 1996 for the 16th race, and since then the number of runners keeping the streak alive has dwindled from the original 46 members of the group, down to just 10.
Among their ranks are former Ipswich GP Malcom "Mac" Speake, 78, and part-time barber Charles "Len" Cousens, 77.
Mr Speake, from Kettlebaston, is also president of the Bildeston Bounders running club.
"It's like a compulsion," said Mr Speake.
"It's the same as someone who collects stamps, you keep going until you have the complete set.
"If I'm still here I'll be running the 50th race as well. I'll keep running it until I can't anymore."
More than 20,000 people applied to run in the first London Marathon on March 29, 1981, and 6,255 crossed the finish line out of 6,747 who were accepted for a place.
"It's quite a bit of kudos, you know, people say 'that's the fella that's run every London Marathon' - It's nice, it's an ego trip," he added.
A record 42,549 people finished last year, while 457,861 people applied for a place in the marathon's open ballot this year.
Mr Cousens, from Lowestoft, added: "I think I've kept going so long thanks to my genes, it's what you're born with.
"If you ask my wife though, she'll tell you it's all the good food she's fed me.
"In the early days, you had to queue up at the Post Office and you wanted to be first in the queue so you got there when it was still dark and camped out on the pavement.
"After we had done the 15th, they said as long as you finish, you get in automatically."
Mr Cousens is running in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2020, with Mr Speake doing it in aid of the British Heart Foundation.
"I wouldn't be surprised if this was my last one," he added.
"If you do 41, so what? Forty is a good round number."
The other remaining Ever Presents are Jeffrey Aston, 72, from Cardiff, Roger Low, 76, from London, Bill O'Connor, 74, from London, David Walker, 74, from Chesham, Buckinghamshire, Ken Jones, 86, from Strabane, Northern Ireland, Chris Finill, 61, from Cranleigh, Surrey, Mike Peace, 70, from Lustleigh, Devon, and Terry Macey, 71, from London.
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