Paul Gordon

Paul is one of the few parkrunners to have completed every course in New Zealand.

Barcode: A293227

Home parkrun: Lower Hutt

What was your first away parkrun?

Cornwall Park. It was the only other option at that stage.

What led you to parkrun tourism?

Fun, travelling to other places.

What’s the earliest you’ve got up to travel to an event and where was it?

5am to get to Palmerston North parkrun.

What has been your furthest trip for a parkrun?

In New Zealand Invercargill or Whangarei. Overseas, Frankfurt from the south of France, or Copenhagen from the UK.

I ran Amager Strandpark in Copenhagen. It was the coldest run I have ever done with a bleak northerly wind off the sea. But the welcome was very warming. I helped that the briefing was in a shed.

Can you tell us about a memorable parkrun experience in New Zealand?

Running Porirua on a very rainy Christmas Day, in an inflatable Santa on a reindeer suit. It had deflated by halfway and ran most of it in what was basically a big sweaty plastic bag flapping around my body.

Where in New Zealand would you like a parkrun and why?

West Coast – with whitebait fritters in place of cheese scones afterwards.