"I've got too much on.
"I'd like to be here but I'm too involved with my own community up here,'' Mr Townsend, of Alexandra, said.
Before his hip operation two years ago, he had had to curtail activities such as bowls because of the pain.
Held every two years, the Dunedin joint walk is organised to highlight the success of joint replacements and raise money for orthopaedic research.
Money raised locally stays in Otago.
The walkers have all had joint replacements.
Mr Townsend (75) had his left hip replaced in March 2014, in Dunedin.
He said he was able to have surgery because he had private health insurance.
"I had pain all the time in my hip.''
He felt sorry for the "poor buggers'' who did not have private health insurance and missed out on surgery.
Health insurance was "not cheap'', but it had allowed him to "get back to normal living''.
"I can move round now as good as I ever could. It's just a marvellous operation.''
The walk is organised by Dunedin orthopaedic surgeon Michael Chin, on behalf of the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association.
Mr Chin expected about 150 to turn up for the walk at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Most would just "rock up'' on the day, which was fine, although pre-registration had been encouraged, he said.
It was the first time the walk had been held at the stadium.
