Colin Thorne will be remembered for his ever-present smile, quick wit, and longstanding love of running.
Internationally renowned centenarian parkrunner and legendary Whangārei personality Colin Thorne died yesterday, aged 102, leaving an extraordinary legacy of service, resilience and inspiration.
In his nine years with the parkrun movement, Thorne completed 265 parkruns, placing him among its most celebrated participants worldwide, especially for his age.
He became the first person in the world aged over 100 to reach the 100-parkrun milestone – a record unlikely to be matched soon.
Remarkably, he was still taking part in regular Saturday events this month, despite recently moving to a wheelchair.
His determination to keep showing up made him a powerful example of what active ageing could look like, said two of his many friends, former Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai and fellow parkrunner Jeremy Browne.
A longtime Whangārei resident, Thorne was still living independently at 100, mowing his lawn and driving to the gym, reinforcing his reputation as someone who quietly defied expectations about age and ability.
Mai said the community was “incredibly blessed to have had this international champion in our own backyard”.
Known globally as the parkrunning movement’s oldest participant, he was “a champion for parkrun, and basically for older people to keep moving”.
“He provided that inspiration for people to go, ‘Well, if Colin can do it, then maybe I can too’,” Mai said.
Even as his strength declined and he needed to be pushed around the course in a wheelchair, his spirit never waned. Mai recalled how he would insist on walking across the finish line, determined to complete the parkrun properly.
Colin was always “just so happy to be among his parkrun family,” Mai said.
She knew his latest ambition was to reach 270 parkruns, and was sure his parkrun friends would carry a photo of him over the finish line in the coming weeks to ensure he did.
Browne said Thorne was universally admired in the parkrun community and deeply inspirational. Always positive and often joking, he carried his age lightly.
On his 100th birthday, Thorne had quipped about feeling only 99, Browne said. That attitude lifted those around him, whether they were seasoned runners or first-timers.
Born in Cambridge in 1924 and raised during the Great Depression, Thorne experienced a tough early life before moving north to Maungakaramea as a boy.
He left school at 15 and spent decades dairy farming, a physically demanding career that laid the foundations for a lifetime of fitness.
Sport was a constant force in his life. He grew up playing rugby, cricket, soccer and hockey, later coaching and umpiring before turning to running after retiring from farming at 64.
Despite the late start, he completed 50 marathons, 102 half marathons and other long-distance events, recording a fastest marathon time of three hours 18 minutes at age 69.
Even a knee replacement in his 80s failed to stop him. Told he would never run again, he instead became the oldest competitor in the New York Marathon at 89 and collected medals at World Masters events around the world.
After his final half-marathon at 92, Thorne turned to parkrun to keep moving without the pressure of formal events.
He completed parkruns at 21 locations and volunteered 16 times - proof of his commitment and his belief that parkrun is about community as much as movement.
Parkrun was especially important after the death of his wife, Betty, in 2021. She had been his biggest cheerleader throughout his running career.
Married for 70 years, the couple had five children, numerous grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Parkrun Australia and the wider international parkrun movement took notice of Thorne’s milestones, sending a camera crew to record his centenary.
Videos of him circulated globally, introducing audiences overseas to the man from Northland who redefined expectations of ageing.
Browne and local film-maker Jesse Slykerman interviewed Thorne earlier this year and were in the process of making videos of some aspects of his life not already covered by other stories.
Once completed, the new works will be uploaded to YouTube, Browne said.
This Saturday’s parkrun coincides with Anzac Day, giving added meaning to tributes for a man whose life also included military service.
Browne confirmed that during World War II Thorne served in Egypt and Italy but didn’t see active service. He later served with the first occupational forces in Japan after the country’s surrender, contributing to post-war rebuilding efforts.
The playing of the Last Post, already planned as part of Whangārei parkrun’s Anzac Day observances, will undoubtedly now also be a tribute for Colin.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast.