WHEN Paul Maggs travelled to Port Augusta in remote South Australia, he would drive along the Stuart Highway at night to leave a bottle beside a post several kilometres from his caravan.
He'd set off the next morning and run along the dusty highway until he reached the bottle, when he'd turn around and jog back to complete his 10 kilometre run.
It's a pattern Lyneham retiree and fitness fan Mr Maggs, 75, sticks to wherever his adventures take him and his wife throughout the year.
A looming road trip that will take in Townsville, Darwin, Alice Springs and parts of Western Australia has prompted Mr Maggs to map out a series of running and swimming events.
"We travel around in our caravan and I try to run and swim whatever I can," he said.
"I always try to make sure I find out where all the runs are. It's a good way of seeing things."
His sights are already set on three long-distance running events in coming months, including The Australian Running Festival's half marathon in Canberra in April and The Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon in May.
"I've always run, just about all my life. Thank god my family have fairly good joints."
Mr Maggs, a former priest and parole officer, regularly swims, runs, goes to the gym and stretches to "keep in condition".
It's a fitness routine that would intimidate many people half his age, but he believes "to be physically active is good mentally, too."
"Four times a week I go for a 10-kilometre run and I try to get that well under an hour.
"Probably every second week I'll do an 18-kilometre run, and if I can that under one hour and 45 minutes then I extend the run."
Mr Maggs said it was the sense of competition that motivated him to keeping taking part in big events around the country.
"I know that I'm not going to be first over the line in the half marathon; it's nice to come first, second, third in your age group.
"I'm running against myself, rather than against others."
And it's not just Australian events that have piqued his interest: "I'd love to do the New York marathon."
The Australian Running Festival is presented by Tata Consultancy Services.
