Search

RUN247 / Running News / Ron Hill: The Runner’s Runner

Ron Hill: The Runner’s Runner

Updated on

Ron Hill: The Runner’s Runner is a documentary film celebrating the life and achievements of marathon legend Dr Ron Hill MBE.

The film, produced by SportsTours International, features Ron alongside his wife, May Hill, and some of his close friends and colleagues from the running community, including Diane Modahl MBE and former 10km World Record holder and former race director of the London Marathon, Dave Bedford OBE.

endurance sports TV is proud to present and share this documentary with the running community

Ron Hill, who turned 80 in September 2018, is a British runner and clothing entrepreneur, considered an absolute legend in the running world. In the documentary he talks about everything from his childhood, to university, meeting his wife, and how he came to find his passion for running, the documentary features archive footage from some of his greatest achievements including the Olympics and a few early races at the start of his running career.

During his career, Ron has run in two Olympic Marathons – Tokyo in 1964 and Munich in 1972 – and he was the second man to break 2:10 in the marathon with a personal record of 2:09:28.

In 1970 he became the first British runner to win the Boston Marathon, by a wide margin, shattering the course record by three minutes with a time of 2:10:30.

He also won gold medals for the marathon at the European Championships in 1969 and in the Commonwealth Games in 1970.

Among his many medals, records and accomplishments, Lancashire born Ron is known for not missing a single day of running for 52 years and 39 days and thus inventing “the running streak”!

In addition to his running achievements, Ron, who has a PhD in textile chemistry, went on to create his own clothing brands. Convinced of the benefits of synthetic materials for runners, Hill started designing the clothes he wanted to run in, pioneering fabric products for sport including wrap-over shorts, mesh vests, and waterproof running jackets and reflective strips.

Running Bee Ron Hill documentary
The Running Bee Foundation promotes health and wellbeing

Sports Tour International, UK’s leading sports tour operator and producer of Ron Hill: The Runner’s Runner film, is the founder and supporter of the Running Bee Foundation. The Foundation aims to improve the health and wellbeing of local residents and to help tackle the challenge of childhood obesity by championing health and wellbeing initiatives, promoting the benefits of an active lifestyle and making funding accessible to all parts of the communities with no restriction on age, financial status, religion or gender.

This film celebrates an amazing man who has had a significant influence on the world of running. Download and watch it to get an insight into Ron Hill.

Thank you Running Bee for the footage!

Written by
Kirsty Reade

Latest Running News

Courtney Dauwalter crown UTMB 2025
‘I feel lucky to be in the sport right now’ – GOAT Dauwalter raises bar again with reaction to UTMB struggles
Tom Evans salute UTMB win 2025
Tom Evans on the perspective shift and key training session which took him to UTMB glory
Sifan Hassan crosses then line to win the Elite Women’s race at The TCS London Marathon 2023 Photo credit: TCS London Marathon
Sydney Marathon results 2025: Hassan and Kiros star as race joins World Marathon Majors
Courtney Dauwalter UTMB battle 2025 still smiling
GOAT Courtney Dauwalter battles through pain cave to finish brutal UTMB
Ruth Croft wins UTMB 2025
UTMB 2025 women’s results: Ruth Croft makes UTMB history as gutsy Courtney Dauwalter eclipsed
trail running on your terms

Never miss out with our trail alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.

The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...