While he is not the fastest runner in the pack, Norman Goodger says he just might be one of the oldest.
At 67, this will be his third Dunedin Moro Marathon and he does not look to be slowing down.
"I did my first one at 64, three years ago. Before that, I was busier with other things. Then, at 64, I had less work and more time to train."
Norman runs about 100km a week to prepare for the marathon, covering anything from 5km to 42km in a day.
"I'll run one more full marathon [42.2km] then ease off on training. You don't want your best performance before the marathon."
As well as running, he does five chin-ups a day.
"I puff more doing chin-ups than running," he says.
He also works as a shearer but doubts this helps with his training.
"It's exercise but it doesn't really help. I mainly do small flocks these days. Up to 100 sheep. At some places, just one or two."
Norman's goal is to run the marathon in under four hours, which he did not manage in his first attempts.
"In the first, I ran all the way. In the second, I ran the first half in two hours. I was on schedule but I packed up in the second half."
While he had daydreamed of running a marathon all his life, it was the death of his older brother that got him moving, he says.
"He had been athletic when he was young but got heavy in mid to old age."
Concerned about his own weight, Norman began training and lost 25kg for his first marathon.
"My weight has been up and down since. Now, a month away, I'm down to about 70kg. On race day, I'll be about 65kg.
You need to be fairly skinny to run a marathon.
"At the moment, I'm living on popcorn. It's a diet without starving. It's only a handful of corn really but you feel full."
It is no wonder, then, that he already has his first post-marathon treat planned.
"Hot scones with lashings of butter, cream and jam."
• Change of pace
DUNEDIN
- Flagstaff: A brilliant one-hour return walk. Once the hard work has been done, you will get fantastic views of the city and the Taieri from the top. You can choose to go back down the Pineapple Track or loop around to where you started. This is a hard surface gravel track.
- Swampy Ridge Track: A more challenging track which is three hours one way. Track can be slippery in the winter.
- Bethunes Gully: This four-hour track is a great hill-climb up to the top of Mt Cargill passing through exotic pine and native forest. A hard surface track.
QUEENSTOWN
- Frankton Arm Track: This is a two- to three-hour return walk along the lake edge on a hard gravel surface.
- Queenstown Hill Track: A two-hour return track: you will be happy once the hill is over.
SOUTH OTAGO
- Catlins River Valley Walk: Five hours one way through silver beech forest.
WANAKA
- Lake Outlet Walk: A pleasant scenic walk from Wanaka to Albert Town following the Clutha River. A firm gravel track.