by Larry Eder
This feature, by RunBlogRuns’ Larry Eder, is about Steve Jones, the Welsh marathoner superstar who set a WR in 1984 (2:08.05), and set a British record in the marathon (2:07.13), that lasted 33 years. Steve Jones is one of the great ones.
Updated November 5, 2022, with number 16 & 17 (thanks to Jeff Benjamin)
Steve Jones was one of the finest marathoners of his era or any other. Steve set the world record of 2:08.05 in 1984 and then, in 1985, missed the new WR of Carlos Lopes in winning Chicago a second time by one second, running 2:07.13; Steve was a two-time Olympian and a fine cross country runner as well as the winner of Chicago (2 times), New York, London, and Toronto Marathons.
Steve is seen in Boston and New York most years and is one of the true treasures of the sport. This writer has interviewed Steve on several occasions and saw that he was at the Staten Island Runner’s Association dinner last night, November 3.
Thirty-eight years ago, Steve Jones set his world record of 2:08.05 at the 1984 Chicago Marathon.
Fifteen fun facts about Steve Jones, NYC Marathon champion
- At the top of his form, Steve Jones was an RAF aircraft mechanic, who ran 70-80 miles a week, and raced almost weekly, as was the fashion at that time. Steve is proud of his Welsh heritage.
- In the 1983 BeatriceChicago Marathon, Steve Jones turned an ankle the day prior to the marathon and had to drop out at 17.5 miles. He offered to give the Race Director back his appearance money. The kind offers were refused. Bob Bright, the race director, had paid Steve $1,500 and an airplane ticket for his marathon debut. Steve had just finished 12th in the Helsinki WC 1983 10,000m at 28:15.
- At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Steve Jones ran the 10,000m, finishing 8th in 28:08.28.
- That fall, on October 21, 1984, Steve Jones came back to Chicago and broke the World record for the marathon with his 2:08:05, a new world record, breaking the world record of one Rob De Castella, who ran 2:08.18 in Fukuoka. Steve Jones held the world record until April 1985, when Carlos Lopes ran 2:07.12 at Rotterdam, setting a new WR and making the cover of Runners World and every other running magazine in the world.
- Steve Jones had no idea that he was on a world record pace until he was two miles from the finish! The reason for his lack of timing info was that Steve was pretty old school-he did not wear a watch!
Steve Jones, 1985 London Marathon, photo by London Marathon Media - Steve Jones won the London Marathon in April 1985, running 2:08.16, with one toilet stop during the race!
- In October 1985, Steve Jones returned to Chicago Marathon, destroying the field and his world record, running 2:07.13! The problem was that he was one second off the World record of 2:07.12, set by Carlos Lopes, the 1984 Olympic champion, who ran his WR in Rotterdam.
- Steve Jones’s time of 2:07.13 was a new British record that stood for 33 years and was finally broken by Sir Mo Farah in 2018.
- Steve Jones did not give up on the 10,000m, taking the bronze in the 1986 Commonwealth Games.
- In 1986, Steve Jones led the European champs marathon for 20 miles, hit the wall, and suffered terribly over the last six miles. Steve could have quit but did not, finishing 20th in 2:22. 12.
- Steve competed in his next marathon at the 1987 Boston Marathon, taking second in 2:12.37.
- Steve Jones has been sponsored by Reebok for his entire career, one of the few athletes still with the brand. In 1988, he won the NYC Marathon, so he ran with an unbranded vest. He ran a 2:08.20 course record.
- In 1990, Steve Jones competed in his third Commonwealth Games, finishing 4th in the marathon in 2:12.44.
- In 1992, Steve ran his last fast marathon, winning the Toronto Marathon in 2:10:06. His last championship marathon, the 1993 World Champs Marathon, finished 13th in 2:20.44.
- Steve Jones was a fine cross-country runner. A keen observer of the sport, Steve Jones has wonderful observations on the nature of the sport. A key historical figure in our sport, Steve Jones, is a class act.
- Steve Jones never stretched and never did weight room.
- The Steve Jones diet: Meat Pies, Mars bars, and Coca-Cola!
