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Jan 27

The policeman who went on the run to lose weight and represent New Zealand – Stuff.co.nz

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OPINION: In the criminal fraternity of Te Anau, word must surely have got around by now: if local cop Dwight Grieve is chasing you, don't bother running.

Yet that's not his greatest contribution to the Fiordland town - not by a long shot.

Grieve's running exploits are renown in the south, but it's his back story, the example of health and happiness that he lives, which really sets him apart.

About 12 years ago, Grieve was an overweight painter-decorator living in Invercargill.

READ MORE:* Not so Insta-famous: An ode to the good-old Kiwi run around the block* An audacious running goal which has taken a whole year to climb* Te Anau's Dwight Grieve relying on local support in Kepler Challenge

But becoming a father made him realise he wanted more.

"I'd say the biggest thing was that I wanted to make my kids proud of me," Grieve told co-host Matt Rayment and Ion the Dirt Church Radio podcast this week.

"Behind that as well was, 'hey, I need to make more money - I've got a family now'. But mostly it was I wanted to have a go at something and make the kids proud."

Robyn Edie/Stuff

Dwight Grieve always tries to run with a smile, even when competing in tough events like the 60 km Kepler Challenge.

He joined the police and started eating better and running, soon transforming himself.

As well as losing weight (about 18 kg), he gained confidence.

"I've gone from a not-so-confident guy to now I'm happy to sit here and talk to two strange guys from up north on a podcast."

Hmmm...thanks, mate.

BARRY HARCOURT/STUFF

Becoming a father made Dwight Grieve consider a career and lifestyle change, so he joined the police and started running.

In the running community, there are many wonderful examples of people who've lost weight and transformed their lives.

Somehow, Grieve stands out.

Partly it's because he's so damned fast. He's a force of the Southland athletics and cross country scene, a regular top-10 contender at the competitive Kepler Challenge mountain race, and in 2018, he represented New Zealand at the World Mountain Running championships - aged in his 40s.

"I didn't run when I was young, apart from a bit at primary school," says Grieve. "So, yeah, it's been a bit of a strange progression to be running fast in my 40s instead of in my 20s."

And he found that as he achieved success at running, he got better as a police officer, and vice versa. "They sort of bounced off each other, and they give confidence from one to the other."

Being a runner has its advantages as a small-town cop, too.

"People in the town see me not just as the cop, they'll see you as the runner, as a good, healthy role model."

It helps, too, that he's actively involved in the Fiordland Athletic Club.

"So people see you doing positive stuff within the community and that really helps too. They see you as not just the cop, you're Dwight the cop, Dwight the running cop, Dwight the dad."

Success as a runner, though, does not just come about from losing weight, turning your life around, or just deciding you want to run. There's a lot of hard work that goes into it - a hell of a lot.

And Grieve knows all about that. He has to be dedicated to it, even when it's not convenient.

Sometimes he's on call, and has to be no more than 15 minutes away from responding.

"So I park near a piece of trail between Te Anau and the [Lake Te Anau] control gates, exactly halfway, and I'll run to the control gates and thenback to Te Anau. And then I'll run back to the control gates. It's basically eight minutes each way."

It sounds boring, going back and forward, but that's the challenge Grieve faces - he's making the most of the situation he's in, making sure he trains when others would just say, "oh, well, it's too hard". And he makes it fun - "it's a great bit of trail".

It's impossible not to admire such dedication. But that's exactly what it takes, whether you're chasing a goal of representing New Zealand some day, or just wanting to be the best runner you can.

Even if all you want to do is chase down the local crooks.

*Eugene Bingham and Matt Rayment are hosts of a trail running podcast Dirt Church Radio. Learn more at dirtchurchradio.com or get in touch via email dirtchurchradio@gmail.com

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The policeman who went on the run to lose weight and represent New Zealand - Stuff.co.nz

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