After four years of talking about it, a 62-year-old Hastings man is finally going to run the London Marathon.
Hastings orchard owner Matthew Charlton has ticked off seven marathons in 18 years of running, although it takes him a while to add them all up.
"They're the sort of thing you don't want to remember," he jokes.
"When you get to the finish line it can be emotional - there's an immense relief when it's over. I've seen people break down, and I have myself on a number of occasions. You go beyond the limit."
Running in Queenstown's Shotover Moonlight Mountain Marathon last year, he was the first home in his age group of 60 plus. The scenic but gruelling journey took him eight hours and 38 minutes.