Around 1200 people will hit the pavement this Sunday for the annual ACC Whangarei Half Marathon and 9km Run/Walk organised by Sport Northland.
The half marathon will once again be a hotly contested event with top Northland runners Harry Linford, Ian Calder, Henry Wallace and Tim Goodwin all in the men's division while Cecilia Vorster and Carolyn Younger look to be likely favourites in the women's division.
Of note is the increase in numbers in the half marathon section of the event.
Runners and walkers will begin the 21.1km course at the Town Basin, head over the Kotuitui Whiti pedestrian bridge and the Te Matau a Pohe bridge and then follow the new pathway along Riverside Drive, through the Waimahanga track to Onerahi before looping back to finish on the Canopy Bridge at the Town Basin.
Sport Northland's events team leader Azelia Parkinson said it was great to be able to utilise the new walk/cycle way.