‘I couldn’t jog 400m’: How this middle-aged recruit lost 40kg to join the police

Three years ago he struggled to run 400m. But a goal of joining the police force prompted Constable Marshall to get fit enough to run a 10km race – and he lost 40kg while doing it.

It was 2021 and Marshall, a former youth pastor and music shop owner, was driving from Tauranga towards Katikati when he witnessed a station wagon dangerously overtaking a line of four cars.

“It came blasting past. I thought ‘someone should do something about this’, then I thought – ‘why not me?’”

And that was enough incentive for Marshall, who did not want his full name used for privacy reasons, to find out about enrolling at Police College.

“I think all little boys and girls grow up wanting to become a police officer or firefighter. I was 45 at the time, if I was ever going to give it a go that was probably going to be my last chance of doing it, so I thought I’d give it a whirl.”

He learned a requirement for police college was to be able to run 2.4km in a time frame that varies depending on body weight. At 140kg, Marshall had to beat 12 minutes.

“I couldn’t jog 400m without stopping. There’s a park near where I live that’s exactly 2.4km with a bunch of bridges, so my first goal was to run to the first bridge. I remember the joy of being able to run to that first bridge. Then the second bridge. Then the whole thing without stopping. That was the best day, when I was able to do a whole lap.”

His first completed lap took about 19 minutes. Then, Marshall said, his next goal was to get faster.

The more he ran – and the better he got at watching his calorie intake and changing his food choices – the more the weight dropped off. In eight months, he dropped to 99kg and was fit enough to enter into police college.

“It just kept shaking off. But because I had lost so much weight, the time goal kept changing. If I had stayed around the 120kg mark I would have bought myself an extra minute.”

Marshall spent the next 16 weeks at Police College in Porirua and he completed his final run at Tauranga Domain, where he clocked in at 10 minutes and 18 seconds – nicely under the 11-minute, 15-second requirement for his weight at the time.

“I was pretty stoked. I couldn’t believe it.”

And his superiors were just as impressed. Marshall won the defensive tactics and physical training award, which he “really wasn’t expecting”.

He had “a great time” at police college, meeting interesting people and sharpening his skills.

“I was there with a former All Black, a Black Fern, all sorts of people. You’re challenging yourself, pushing yourself, doing new stuff every day. It’s been an amazing journey.”

Marshall graduated and started his new career as a police officer in Whakatāne. Commuting there every day meant Marshall regained a bit of the weight but since transferring to Tauranga he has had more time for exercising and it is going down again. To keep fit Marshall runs and cycles “because it’s easier on the old-boy knees”. He also swims when he can and enjoys a hike up Mauao.

Weight loss has been just one positive side effect of his fitness journey. Marshall says his blood pressure has come down, his mobility and his sense of wellbeing have improved, and he sleeps better. Even the snoring has stopped, to his wife’s relief, he joked.

What’s more, his family was inspired by his new lifestyle. His children often join him at the gym.

“My family are proud. They’ve seen how happy I am. I think it’s inspired them in their own ways to reach their goals. There’s just something about having a policeman as a dad.”

Working on the front line in the public safety team was an “amazing” and “demanding” job, Marshall said.

“It’s the hardest job I’ve worked in, physically and emotionally. When it’s bad… there’s a lot of high-pressure situations. No-pressure situations that all of a sudden become life or death that put you on the spot.

“There’s some extremely fit people, people who are highly intelligent – I’ve never been in a workplace with such a variety of people before.”

“Every day is different. You just turn up and whatever comes your way you will deal with it the best you can. They keep drilling into us to go home safe at night. Just get home safe.”

Marshall had advice for other older people who may want to join the police: “Do it. Even just to see if you can. See if you can raise yourself up to that standard. It’s good to test yourself. If it’s something you’ve always wanted to do just go into it.

“It can be done. Age can make it harder but not impossible.

“You can’t buy that sort of satisfaction.”

Director of safer people Superintendent Mel Aitken said it was fantastic seeing people like Marshall who had found their passion for wellbeing, whether it was through sport, nutrition or a combination of both.

Aitken said the police had an employee Wellness Hub, which was a “fabulous” platform with a “plethora” of fitness-related advice and initiatives. Physical education officers in policing districts, who each had a health degree, were also a great resource for those wanting to achieve their wellness goals.

– To inquire about becoming a police officer, visit www.newcops.govt.nz/.