Rotorua memorial for Tarawera Ultramarathon athlete who died in hospital

An athlete's death has brought the Rotorua running community together for a Miler Memorial.

A Tarawera Ultramarathon competitor died in hospital earlier this month, three days after being brought to a medical facility near the finish line by event staff and medical personnel.

The Rotorua Trail Running Club hosted tonight's Memorial Miler Run to "acknowledge the passing" in the running community.

About 75 runners of all ages ran and walked a 40-minute loop from the Village Green [where the Ultramarathon finish line was] around Sulphur Point and back.

Tarawera Ultramarathon race director Tim Day told the group "it has been a challenging week for everybody in this trail community".

"What we've seen is a huge outpouring of love and support in the community of our fallen runner, for the Tarawera Ultra family ... and also for each other."

One of the Ultramarathon competitors at the Village Green this evening was Jessica Pickering.

She completed the 50km walk at the Ultramarathon event this year, and her son completed the 160km event.

Pickering said the runner's death was "tragic".

"We feel for their family."

She is "very much" proud of the Rotorua event and "all the people from around the world that it attracts".

"The forest [Whakarewarewa] is such a great recreational reserve ... It is great we can hold an event there and showcase what Rotorua has to offer. We covered lots of different areas in the bush and by the lakes."