Graeme Tindall set to make Rotorua his 300th marathon

30 April 2021

Twenty years on from making his Rotorua Marathon debut, Graeme Tindall will achieve the milestone of his 300th marathon on his return to the historic marathon on May 8.

The Masterton-based accountant will become just the fifth New Zealander to achieve the staggering feat of endurance should he complete his 299th marathon this weekend (May 1) at the T42 Central Plateau Marathon followed by Rotorua the following weekend.

“I was never able to manage 100 km plus training weeks to give myself the best chance of achieving sub 3-hour marathon times, instead I became a regular marathon participant who’s only goal is to finish,” he explains. “It will be nice to join the small group of New Zealanders to reach the 300-marathon completions.”

Graeme started running to stay fit and handle the stress of study during his first year at university. He entered his first half marathon in 1990, however is was only ten years later did he make his full marathon debut in Auckland.

“I am not a fast runner, but I found it addictive trying to run faster than previous times or whatever goal I set myself.”

He competed in his second marathon in Rotorua the following year and his curiosity to run regular marathons quickly built momentum.

Graeme Tindall running his 100th marathon

Giving him an excuse to travel he has completed 125 overseas marathon in ten countries. He has competed in all six Marathon Majors – Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York – and was running the 2013 Boston Marathon when the terrorist bomb exploded – which led to the death of three people.

“I only had a short distance to finish when the bomb went off,” he recalls. “I went back in 2014 to finish the marathon. The other large overseas marathons, maybe a thing of the past, also provide memories.”

In the future Graeme has some other goals to achieve. He is currently sat on 199 completed half-marathons so would like to knock off number 200 at some point this year. He has also finished 89 Australian marathon, so a future goal would be to complete 100 marathons on both sides of the Tasman.

Yet for now he his eyes fixed on joining a small but special group of Kiwis to achieve 300 marathons and the 49-year-old sees it as fitting he will attempt the milestone at the Rotorua.

“It is both 20 years since my first Rotorua Marathon and Rotorua is also the marathon I have completed the most times (at 18). All going well, it will be nice to do my 300th marathon there.”