63-year-old rookie to run marathon | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

For 20 years Rotorua's Trevor Ogilvie has volunteered at the weigh bridge drinks station for the Rotorua Marathon - today for the first time the 63-year-old will run it.

Although Ogilvie will be running his first marathon he is no stranger to the event - in fact for about 20 years he has volunteered his time working at a drinks station on Te Ngae Rd.

Ogilvie has run numerous half marathon races but this morning he lined up with more than 1800 competitors for the 47th Rotorua Marathon. He said he was excited but cautious about doing his first marathon.

"It's always good to have done [a marathon]. But I'm very wary about it.

"I've helped out with drinks at the weight bridge - 10km from the finish line and you see a lot of people struggling at that point."

Ogilvie is determined, despite comments from some people about it being too late in life, to do his first marathon.

"You're only as old as you feel. I still have a lot of boy in me and can still put it to those young guns in a race," Ogilvie said.

It was a last-minute decision to do the marathon, Ogilvie said.

"I was building up for the half marathon when I talked to my coach about maybe doing the full marathon and I just decided to have a crack at it."

It may sound a cavalier approach to doing a marathon - however, Ogilvie said he had a lot of respect for the event and was taking a lot of advice from his wife Lynn, who has competed in 10 Rotorua Marathons.

"I'm a good listener. I've been married for 42 years. Lynn has told me to respect [the run], it's not a 10km race. Don't go out fast and have a set split time for every 5 and 10km and respect the hills around the back [of the lake]."

Ogilvie said he was determined to do his best.

"A lot of first-time runners don't do it under 3 hours but I'm hopeful of doing it in 2 hours 54 or 55 minutes. If I do this thing I expect to do it to the best of my ability and there is nothing to say I can't hammer it home."

The Rotorua athlete says if all goes well there is nothing to stop him from doing another marathon in the future.

Buy Monday's The Daily Post for pictures of the Rotorua Marathon and results of all Rotorua locals.