British marathon runner Ron Hill who ran EVERY day for a record 52 years has died at the age of 82 

British marathon runner Ron Hill, who ran every day for a record 52 years, has died at the age of 82.  

His clothing company Ronhill confirmed his death in a statement posted to social media on Sunday. Hill had been suffering from dementia. 

‘It is with immense sadness we today mourn the passing of British running legend Dr Ron Hill MBE, our founder, our inspiration, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a runner.

‘We send our thoughts to May, Graham, Steve and all the family at this time.’  

Hill, the 1969 European Athletics Championships marathon gold-medal winner was the second man to break the two hours and 10 minutes barrier in the discipline.

The Accrington-born distance runner claimed marathon gold at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and also won the 74th Boston Marathon – the first Brit to do so.

British marathon runner Ron Hill, who ran every day for a record 52 years, has died at the age of 82

He broke world records at four different distances and represented Great Britain in the marathon at two Olympics, Tokyo in 1964 and Munich in 1972.

Hill also laid claim to the longest unbroken streak of running every day, that lasted 52 years and 39 days, from 1964 to 2017. 

Off the track, hill also completed a PhD in textile chemistry and founded his clothing company Ronhill in 1970 which pioneered and designed new types of running clothes.

It had a shop on Market Street in Hyde and is still going strong today with its products manufactured at Redfern Industrial Estate in the town. 

In 2018, Hill recalled becoming the second man ever to break 2.10 as ‘One of the best days of my life!’

He completed the feat at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1970, finishing the race in two hours 9 minutes. 

‘People said: “That pace is suicidal, he’ll never keep it up”. But I had everything under control.

‘I covered ten miles in 48 minutes and I was a bit tired, but my body was working perfectly and I knew I could win, so I put my head down and ran.  

He was the second man ever to break 2.10 — and he is still revered by elite athletes across the globe. ‘One of the best days of my life!’ he beams. ‘People said: “That pace is suicidal, he’ll never keep it up”. But I had everything under control.

‘Coming in first, then clapping the other guys in, it was just marvellous. I’ll never forget it,’ he said.

Hill, the 1969 European Athletics Championships marathon gold-medal winner was the second man to break the two hours and 10 minutes barrier in the discipline