'Fastest Old Man in the World' dies aged 79

Posted by simon on 11/10/2006 on simon's blog

Some people reckon Derek Turnbull was the greatest veteran runner of all time.
This is the guy who at 65 years old ran 2:41:57 in the London Marathon, still an age-group world's best.

That same year, 1992, he set six 65-69 age group records, among them a blistering 4:56.4 -- yes you read that right -- a sub 5-minute mile at age 65.

Turnbull, a sheep farmer from Tussock Creek, New Zealand, died in his sleep at home on his farm and Nature Reserve called Sherwood Forest, leaving a wife Pat and a grown-up family of six, 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

He set 25 world records at distances including 800m, 1500m, 1 mile, 5000m and 10.000m and set best times for cross-country as well as the marathon. He won 28 gold medals at the World Masters Championships on the track – these included six golds at the championships in Durban in 1997 (at age 71). He ran 5:04 for 1500 meters at age 70. Yet he regarded his 58-year running career as just a hobby, and a way to relax and unwind from his "day job" as a sheep farmer.

He had no set training programmes, no stop watch or coach; he said he just went out and ran the hills for enjoyment. His philosophy was: "Find enjoyment in it and never give up", according to a release from Athletics New Zealand.

"Turnbull had been farming 260 acres at Tussock Creek (30 km north of Invercargill), for the past 26 years. He was awarded the QSM for his services to athletics and was patron of CCS Sport Southland (Crippled Children), Invercargill Harrier and Athletic Club and New Zealand Masters Games", said the release.

"The Southland Masters Athletics had arranged an 80th birthday bash run for Turnbull on 10 December around Turnbull's old stomping ground of Forest Hill Reserve, Tussock Creek."

"The Fastest Old Man in the World" is the title of Turnbull's biography, written by Vince Boyle. It is available from Pat Turnbull via the website at www.sherwoodforest.co.nz

* Listen to an interview with Derek Turbull at the Hokonui Gold radio station website at www.hokonuigold.co.nz/archives_sportstalk.html (Scroll down to find it.)