"Exercise addict" and radio DJ Dom Harvey will step up as the World Masters Games 2017 (WMGF2017) Ambassador and put his fitness to the test.
Harvey is a keen ambassador for the games as he has a love of sport and is addicted to running.
"It was an addiction that grew over time and now I cannot imagine my life without regular exercise," he says.
"If I can encourage others to get out there and give something a go then I will."
Harvey is competing in the games' half-marathon and will try running a personal best.
"For me, that's the joy of running. It's not about beating other people. It is just about beating yourself and what you have done in the past, whatever your age may be."
Harvey was influenced by his mother's love of running and has come, or rather run, a long way since his first marathon at age 14. He's now completed 13 marathons.
He also credits running for saving his life. Harvey collapsed in the Auckland marathon almost a decade ago, which led to the discovery of a tumour in his abdomen.
"Some cheeky friends say it was running that almost killed me," he says. "The truth is it was the running that saved me.
"Had I not been running, the tumour may have killed me before it was even discovered."
Harvey plans on running the six 'World Marathon Majors', so far ticking off Boston, New York, London, and Chicago. Berlin is next on the list.
WMG2017 chief executive Jennah Wootten says while Harvey is better known as a media personality, he is also a gutsy athlete whose approach to running embodies the spirit of World Masters Games.
"[He] will represent the weekend warriors that will make up the vast majority of the 25,000 athletes at the games - those who have day jobs and who have never been full time or professional athletes, but who push themselves and enjoy competing for the love of sport," she says.
With AUT Millennium Sports Performance Clinic on Auckland's North Shore, Harvey will spend the next 10 months training for the games.
To benchmark his fitness the sports clinic did a cardio-respiratory test, which required him to run on a treadmill almost to the point of collapse while his breathing, maximal oxygen intake and lactate threshold were monitored and analysed.
Anybody over the minimum age for their chosen sport, and meets the disability classification requirements for the para-sports, can take part in the games. There are 28 sports to choose from and the games will take place in Auckland in April.
Mediaworks has also been announced as an official media partner.
The WMG2017 can be found online.
Newshub.
