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Key Points
- Colin Thorne from Whangārei in New Zealand completed his 175th parkrun on his 100th birthday.
- He started running at the age of 64, and has completed many marathons and half marathons since.
- Parkruns have allowed Thorne to keep fit and socially connected.
Colin Thorne was a little late to his regular Saturday parkrun, a weekly 5k fitness event that takes place around the world.
“I’m sorry … I forgot my walking stick,” he told the waiting crowd at Whangārei in New Zealand’s North Island.
Colin had a large group of supporters as he took to the start of the event last weekend, his first since turning 100.
When asked how he felt after crossing the finishing line of the event after celebrating a century, he said: “Actually, I feel about 99.”
Parkruns are free, timed community running and walking events held on Saturday mornings, with hundreds of events held worldwide after starting in London in 2004.
‘I’m going to go as long as I can’
Colin started running at the age of 64 after he retired from dairy farming, and has completed 50 marathons and 102 half marathons in that time, according to the NZ Herald.
In addition to his usual Whangārei parkrun crew, runners from other parkruns came to wish him well as he participated in his 175th event.
Despite having a knee replacement when he was 89 and using a walking stick on his parkruns, Thorne has no plans to stop park running anytime soon. “You can do it if your mind [is] set,” he said.
“I’m going to go on as long as I can and when the time says that’s enough, well, I’ll just have to stand by and watch.”
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