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When Alan Cotterill started thinking about how to celebrate his 80th birthday, he decided to take on a daunting challenge.
The retired GP from Wagga Wagga, in southern New South Wales, signed up for the Sydney Marathon on September 15.
"I love all the colour, the people coming in, all the personalities, some people wobbling in and some people smiling and punching the air," Alan said.
Alan's says he loves the running trail near his home. (ABC Riverina: Jess Scully)
The event, which comes four days after his birthday, will mark Alan's first long-distance run in decades.
His only previous effort was in 1984, when he ran from Junee to Wagga Wagga, finishing in just under four hours.
"That was a pretty good time for a first unplanned marathon," Alan said.
Now, 40 years later, he is back in regular training, and motivation is not a problem.
"I walk out my driveway and cross a road and [have] the best running trail I've seen anywhere," Alan said.
Alan finished his first marathon in under four hours. (Supplied: Alan Cotterill)
The inspiration this time around came from his grandson’s marathon effort in Sydney last September.
"I decided a few months later in December that I'd start my marathon training and, and here I am," he said.
"We do a full lap of Centennial Park, which was a favourite haunt in my young days at Bondi before we went to Maroubra."
About 10 years ago Alan started doing weekly parkruns, where he was bitten by the running bug.
"It's infectious, when you get involved with people that run, they're all a bit mad sometimes," Alan said.
He said at first he struggled, but it was the community that kept him coming back.
"Love the camaraderie, the coffee after the run and that's enough for health," Alan said.
"As a retired GP, you don't need to do more than that."
Alan and his wife Beverly, with their three-legged whippet, Willie. (ABC Riverina: Jess Scully)
The Sydney Marathon will be a jog down memory lane for the soon-to-be octogenarian.
The route will take him past Sydney Boys High School and the University of New South Wales, both places where Alan was educated.
The event is in contention to become the 7th world major marathon in 2025, putting it in the same category as events in Tokyo, London and Boston.
If Alan finishes in the allocated seven hours, he will automatically get into next year’s event, and he likes his chances.
"Sounds pretty generous," he said.
Alan and Beverly moved from Sydney to Wagga over 50 years ago. (Supplied: Alan Cotterill)
"They're not going to keep the Harbour Bridge and Anzac Parade locked off to traffic just so I can finish."
Alan met his wife, Beverly, on their first day at Bondi Public School and they’ve now been married for 57 years.
She said Alan's decision to run the marathon for the first time as an 80-year-old was very typical.
"Once he sets his mind on something to do, he does it," she said.
"He's very thoughtful about what he does and although he's single-minded, he definitely considers other people."
But Alan really has one major goal above getting a good time and finishing the race.
"I want to finish smiling," he said.