Say the words "pram'' and "Guinness Book of Records'', and University of Otago graduate and leading statistician Len Cook will know exactly what you mean.
Mr Cook (67), the former head of Government statistics in New Zealand and, later, the United Kingdom, still vividly remembers the attempt he and 13 mates made on the world record for pram-pushing.
It was about May 1970, which was also the year Mr Cook completed his University of Otago BA (Hons) degree in mathematics and statistics.
The record attempt was made in the Otago Museum Reserve in North Dunedin and the time spent pram-pushing was a full 24 hours.
Shifts operated during the night, and the Guinness record was duly broken.
"We were rather chuffed,'' he says, but there was little time to bask in glory.
The students were quickly "knocked off our perch a week later'' when a much bigger team of students at the University of Melbourne set a new endurance record, exceeding their 24-hour feat.
Mr Cook smiles as he recalls the pram-pushing.
In those days he and most of those record-breaking friends were members of the Dunedin Presbyterian Harrier Club, now the Hill City-University Athletic Club, and they often ran 10 miles (16km) or so about three times a week.
He jokingly remembers himself as an "outstandingly average'' runner, not a prizewinner, and recalls the friendly rivalry among fellow runners.
"The competition among the very average was still quite strong.''
During his studies at Otago, Mr Cook became increasingly interested in statistics.
It was a stimulating atmosphere, being taught by, among others, Prof Geoff Jowett, the country's first university professor of statistics.
Prof Jowett was a lively teacher who was "very experimental'' and "quite unusual'' in his approach, highlighting the power of statistics in experimental applications.
Mr Cook developed an interest in the use of technology in statistics, a field in which change became increasingly rapid.
When he began his study, the university had only one computer, the legendary and huge IBM 360/30, which was initially operated by the mathematics department.
Now almost every Otago University office now has at least one computer, albeit much smaller and more powerful devices.
After leaving Otago, Mr Cook worked for the Department of Statistics from 1971 to 2000.
He started as a research officer and, in 1986, was appointed Deputy Government Statistician.
In 1992 he stepped up to become Government Statistician and then, after a rebranding, Statistics New Zealand chief executive.
In 2000, he took up his most senior international post, as national statistician for the United Kingdom, and director of the Office for National Statistics, and as Registrar-general for England and Wales.
Probably his most publicised act in his time in the United Kingdom came in February 2005, when, as Registrar-general, he had to rule on the legality of the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles.
After gaining legal advice, Mr Cook concluded that not allowing members of the Royal Family to marry in a civil ceremony would breach the Human Rights Act.
It was an extraordinary outcome for a former youngster from Dunedin to end up playing a high-profile role in British statistics, and being called on to advise on a royal marriage, he said.
"It was just a wonderful place for wee lad from Dunedin to end up.''
Born and educated in Dunedin, and a dux of Bayfield High School, Mr Cook was the first person to take the title "National Statistician'' in the UK, where he headed a staff of 4700 and presided over a census.
The former New Zealand Department of Statistics, which was renamed Statistics New Zealand in 1994, enjoyed a high reputation in New Zealand.
UK Government statistics had not enjoyed the same high reputation when he took up his post, he said.
He also faced the challenge of modernising and strengthening the role of IT in gathering and managing of statistics.
He found he needed a "thick hide'', a sense of humour and a philosophical attitude to cope with the sometimes politically charged criticism, which once led him to describe himself as "Britain's most abused civil servant''.
About once a month, the Daily Telegraph newspaper referred to him as "Len ‘Cook the Books' Cook'' and accused him of "cooking'' the books by interpreting statistics in ways favourable to the British Government, and being "the Chancellor's poodle''.
One newspaper referred to him as a "monocled Antipodean that looked like a squashed Groucho Marx''.
But he had remained unbiased and independent, and retained his sense of humour.
He tried to communicate openly and clearly, writing letters to newspapers to clarify matters that had been subject to criticism.
The Telegraph "hated'' the chancellor of the time, Gordon Brown, and statistics was one of Mr Brown's departments.
In an earlier ODT interview, Mr Cook said statistics were often strongly contested and robust challenges had to be expected.
Now long back in New Zealand, Mr Cook remains involved with statistics at a high level, not only as Families Commissioner but, since last year, as the chairman of a Crown entity, the Social Policy Research and Evaluation Unit (Superu).
Mr Cook has long been keen on demystifying statistics and promoting their use to help clarify issues and to help people.
And it is easy to see how he could be attracted by Superu's officially stated purpose - "to increase the use of evidence by people across the New Zealand social sector so that they can make better decisions - about funding, policies and services - to improve the lives of New Zealanders''.
