parkrun in New Zealand: the first one can happen at 93
By AthRecs · 3 min read
Colin Thorne’s late start, a volunteer’s red-shirt ambition and the achievements that take more than a stopwatch to explain.
There is a particular kind of running advice that begins with what you should have done ten years ago. It is rarely helpful. Colin Thorne’s story offers a much better starting point.
The New Zealander began parkrun at 93. His example gives a different meaning to being a first timer: the invitation does not expire because you have spent a long time believing the activity belongs to other people.
A first barcode at 93
Colin completed his 175th parkrun in the week after his 100th birthday, a milestone captured in parkrun’s own film.
Colin died aged 102 in 2026. In its tribute, parkrun recorded that he had completed 265 events after starting at Whangārei. That is a great many Saturdays to have found something worth getting up for.
The part anyone can recognise is the beginning. He went once. Then he found reasons to return. A very large number of ordinary Saturdays followed.
Sources: parkrun’s official film: Colin Thorne, 100 not out · parkrun’s official 2026 tribute to Colin Thorne
A result has more than one number
Invercargill’s official results in November 2019 listed Debbie Telfer’s 21:51 on 30 March that year as the event’s age-graded course record, with a score of 88.79%.
Age grading compares a time with a reference standard for the participant’s age and gender. It is one way to appreciate a performance that might be easy to miss if you only look at who finished first.
You can enjoy that extra detail without allowing a percentage to decide whether the morning was worthwhile. A good conversation rarely appears in the results.
Sources: Official Invercargill results document showing its historical age-graded record · parkrun explains age grading
She came for a red shirt
In a July 2026 parkrun profile, Glynis Ng recalled starting at Lower Hutt in 2014 with a very practical ambition: she wanted the red 50-event shirt. There are less convincing reasons to get out of bed.
After answering a call for volunteers, she found that helping at the event brought her into contact with more participants. Volunteering remained a way to stay involved when completing the course was less practical. She later joined the community at Trentham Memorial, where photography became a favourite role. She made sure the volunteers appeared in the pictures too.
It is easy to understand how that changes a place. Familiar faces gradually acquire names. Being recognised makes a return visit easier. Eventually, you have people to look for, and they have somebody to look for too.
Sources: Glynis Ng’s own account in the official parkrun New Zealand blog
Leave space for the bit after the finish
Check the official event page for the local start time, course arrangements and cancellations; some New Zealand events use seasonal start times. Arrive with your barcode and enough time to settle in.
You can choose a first walk, a return to running or a volunteer role. If a time matters to you, keep it. If the best part happens while chatting afterwards, remember that as well. There is no requirement to turn a good Saturday into a training plan.
Sources: Official parkrun resources, including New Zealand seasonal start-time materials
Quick answers
Was Colin Thorne already in his 90s when he started parkrun?
Yes. parkrun’s official account says he began at 93.