Rotorua Marathon marks special achievement for Ross Steele

Ross Steele, Ali Pottinger (centre) and Kiri Price during Steel's 99th marathon in March. Photo/File

The final 200 metres to the finish of the Rotorua Marathon on Saturday is likely to be full of drama, with dreams fulfilled as well as dashed in the frantic sprint to the tape.

But further back in the field - much, much further back - there will be celebrations of a different kind for Tauranga's Ross Steele in his 100th marathon.

He will do it dressed in his trademark bright orange shirt and tutu.

Steele is renowned for his sense of humour. Beating his personal best time is never his focus but adding colour and fun to the serious business of marathon running certainly is.

"I found the light about dressing up five years ago. Everyone needs colour in their life. Life is a journey, and it is a matter of having a lot of fun on that journey," he said.

"It is good to have goals in life. If I can inspire one person that is cool and if I can inspire more than one, I am over the moon."

Steele ran his first marathon in May 1992, which was also in Rotorua. He ran 3h 18m, the best time of his 23 Rotorua marathons.

"It is such an exciting time for me. Not in my wildest dreams would I ever thought when I kicked off running back then that I would be down the track looking at No 100."

Balancing managing Westbay Real Estate in Tauranga with all that running is a challenge; but one he is always up for.

He has been putting off having surgery on his troublesome left hip until after his 100th.

"It was not until 2012 when I clicked my 50th marathon which was the Taniwha on the Waikato River trails that I thought this is achievable. For many years all I ever did was one, two or three a year and I thought all I need to do is take a few concrete pills and harden up.

"So I set myself a goal of doing 12, 13, 12, 13 marathons over four years to get my 100th just before my 60th birthday last December. With my hip situation, I only managed 10 last year."

Marathon running has taken Steele all around the world. He has the word seven tattooed on his left calf to represent his feat of completing marathons on all seven continents.

It is a mark of respect among marathon runners worldwide and puts Steele in a special club.

"I did Kilimanjaro in Africa in 2009, and that was my last continent so got my tattoo about a week later. Top would be Antarctica. It was wild, it was unique, it was tough and to get beaten over the finish line by two penguins was pretty cool. One of the penguins got in my finishing photo."

Running the New York Marathon just seven weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks was a moving experience for Steele, with countless runners wearing shirts with personal tributes to someone who died in the attacks.

Steele will not want for a fan section in Rotorua tomorrow morning.

He has an extensive support network who will all be dressed in orange including local community fitness group Jogging the Powerpoles and the YMCA Marathon Clinic.