Entries for the 2016 Tarawera Ultramarathon have already hit the 750 mark, only a week after entries opened.
Entries opened last Monday for the 2016 event, which saw the first 500 people sign up within 24 hours.
The eighth edition of the ultramarathon will be on February 6 next year
running from Rotorua to Kawerau, and featuring distances of 60km, 85km and 100km.
Tarawera Ultramarathon organiser and founder Paul Charteris said this was the fastest uptake they had seen for people signing up.
"Last year it took until around August to hit 750 entries. So what took us two months last year has now taken us seven days." The 2015 event was aired on television shows in Australia and the UK which could be part of the rise in popularity, Charteris said. Charteris said entries were capped at 1000 each year and at this rate they would reach that limit by the end of the month. He said he did not want to see any locals missing out who wanted to take part in the event. However, he said it was important not to rush into a decision.
