A 95-year-old Tauranga war veteran is on a mission to set as many running records as he can.
Eric de Lautour set new records in the Rarotonga Oceania Championships last month and was the only 95-year-old competitive runner to take the podium.
The senior runner competed in five events over four days: the 100m in 28.35 sec, 200m in 59.96 sec, 400m in 2 mins 44 secs, 800m in 6 mins 29 and 1500m in 14 mins 06.
He ranked first in the world, Oceania and New Zealand records for the 800m and 1500m performance, third in the world for 400m and 200m and a fourth world ranking for the 100m in his age group.
His time for the 1500m won him the Clem Green Trophy for the highest Age Graded Percentage at 88.16 per cent.
Because of his isolated age group he ran alongside other men 20 years younger in the most senior group the competition hosted.
Mr de Lautour was more than pleased with his performances and joked his running stamina came with age.
"The older I get, the better I get," he laughed.
"The opposition have a bad habit of dropping off."
Rain or shine Mr de Lautour makes sure he hits the pavement at least four times a week and runs for about an hour around the area near his Bethlehem home. Mr de Lautour put himself to his own challenge - to set as many records as he can at 95.
He said people were beginning to beat records he set years ago so he had to make them more of a challenge.
"At my age it makes them harder for people to beat you see," he laughed.
He had set previous Oceania records for his age group and ran the annual Rotorua Marathon for 17 years, competing in his first race at the ripe age of 63.
Mr de Lautour said his passion for running sprouted from his early days growing up on a Hawke's Bay farm.
"Back then the fastest way around the farm was to run," he said.
Mr de Lautour fought on the front lines in North Africa during World War II before he was posted to Italy.
"I didn't realise I was a fast runner until I was in the army in a training camp in Egypt ... there was the option to play football or some sport or run. So I went for the small group who ran. There weren't all that many and a couple of them were pretty good runners but I had no trouble keeping up with them," he said. There was no sign of Mr de Lautour putting his running shoes away anytime soon and he encouraged any keen runner to "go for it".
His secret to a long, healthy and happy life?
"Eat slow, work and run hard and don't worry."