Since they met on the New Zealand marathon circuit nine years ago, both have become members of three 100 Marathon Clubs - in New Zealand, Australia and North American.
Mike completed his 113th marathon on the Dunedin course yesterday in 5hr 47min 14sec, and Chris ran her 122nd in 5hr 30min 7sec.
With no previous interest in sport, Chris (63) began her marathon career 28 years ago, deciding it would be a way to lose weight and keep fit.
Upon completing her first marathon on the Hamilton course in 4hr 27min, and seizing up soon afterwards, she decided "never again".
That outlook did not last long.
She ran her 100th marathon in 2010 on the Aurora course, in Upper Hutt. Her husband ran his 100th on the same course a year later.
Mike, whose father, Des Leahy, was an All Black triallist in 1949, and played for Wellington in its Ranfurly Shield challenge against Otago that same year, comes from a rugby and cricket background.
It was while managing his local rugby team in 1985 he started on the marathon path.
"We were all sitting around having a beer or two when some of the guys mentioned they were going to do the half-marathon in Masterton and using it as a stepping stone to the full marathon in Rotorua," he said.
Like Chris, he wanted to feel fitter and drop a bit of weight by getting more active. He completed that first marathon in Rotorua in 3hr 43min 50sec.
Mike said his entry into the New Zealand 100 Marathons Club might never have happened had he not met his wife.
"I probably would have just drifted along doing Rotorua, New Plymouth and maybe Hastings each year and only be sitting on 50 or 60 at the moment."
The couple made the most of an opportunity to run in the Round Rarotonga Race.
"We did the race, got married and had a honeymoon. It was the whole package, really," Mike said.
The two have continued to inspire each other and look to add a new marathon to their list each year.
Yesterday was their first time on the Dunedin course, where they joined around 12 other members of the New Zealand 100 Marathons Club.
Norman Chan was welcomed to the club when he completed his 100th marathon.
The group was joined by Australian marathon man Trent Morrow, who was using the event as his ninth marathon along on the way to running 12 in 12 weeks.
