The New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world, attracting over 50,000 runners - both professional athletes and amateurs - every year. It has been running on the first Sunday of November since its inception in 1970, where just 127 competitors lined up on the start line paying an entry fee of just $1!

This year's marathon through the Big Apple had a record number of entries with more than 55,500 runners, including Old Boy Garth Barfoot '49 who, at 88 years old, was the oldest competitor at the start line (he is pictured with friend Lay Cunningham during the race). This is the second time that Garth has competed in the New York City Marathon, after failing to finish in 2023 due to poor weather conditions.

2024, however, was Garth's year, finishing the race in 11 hours, 29 minutes and 49 seconds after a 4am start. "With such big numbers participating, I had to get up at 4am, perhaps the earliest I have ever had to get up in my life, to ensure that I could get to my 9:30 am start on time. Of the 55,524 finishers this year, I was number 55,519 - I was ahead of five athletes who were all younger than me.

"However, as the finishing line drew closer, I became less and less confident about finishing, my escorting supporters later said every time I stopped to catch my breath I closed my eyes. Reaching the finish line, I had no heroic thoughts; I was concentrating on keeping my eyes open until I could collapse into the waiting wheelchair."

After graduating from Auckland Grammar School in 1953, Garth went on to have a very successful career in real estate, and is the patriarch of real estate company Barfoot & Thompson, with the family legacy going back over 100 years.

"Barfoot & Thompson was established when my father Val, a recent immigrant from London, bought a one-man real estate business down the road from Grammar on Broadway in Newmarket. He purchased it in 1923 for just £75 and called the company 'V. Barfoot Land Agent'. Val and wife Christine were joined by Maurice Thompson in 1934, with the two families joining together to officially form Barfoot & Thompson in 1940. "The Barfoots in the business are now into three generations, whilst the Thompsons are into their fourth."

It wasn't until later in life that Garth started competing in marathons. His first race was in 2000 when he and his wife Judy - both 53 years of age at the time - ran the Rotorua Marathon (they would go on to compete in 16 more) finishing in a time of 4 hours and 47 minutes. Up until that point, the longest race either of them had run was Auckland's Round the Bays at just 8.4kmin comparison. "By the end of that race, my legs were as sore as they ever had been; I espied a butcher's shop near the finish and wondered if they could sell me a pair of fresh legs!"

Overcoming adversity to finish the New York City Marathon the second time around, Garth immediately said once he crossed the finish line that that race was to be his last - but perhaps he could be persuaded to do one more. "I planned to stop competing after the 2024 race, to retire while I was on top, but a travel agent told me there is another world marathon which gives you unlimited time to officially finish, so perhaps you might see me on the start line of the Honolulu Marathon in 2025!"

Despite the grandeur of running through the five boroughs of New York City, the Rotorua Marathon is one of Garth's favourite races. "I have completed this one so many times (officially 17) that it feels like home to me even though I can no longer run fast enough to complete the course before the timing mats are rolled up."

Keenness is essential to keep on racing, Garth says; it is the one piece of advice that keeps him going. "I have persisted in my quest despite numerous setbacks anyone of which would have been an acceptable reason to retire. But this must be tinged with realism. I remember Charles Nicholls, the Teacher in Charge of Athletics at Grammar in my time, saying that technique in hurdling will only take you so far, if you are not reasonably fast at running in the first place, then no amount of hurdles training will get you to the top of a hurdles event."