Harriers: 200 enter harriers' mad dash

Photo/Bevan Conley

About 200 runners have entered the Wanganui Harriers dash from Marton to Wanganui this morning.

The annual team's relay was established in 1931 and has been amended in recent times to a back roads course which winds through the Turakina, Whangaehu and Matarawa valleys.

Club spokesman Bill Charnock said they had 200 entries, which include two and three-person teams, as well as those with up to 5-9 members.

There will also be 13 "nut cases" who will do the 66.37km ultra run by themselves.

The walking teams and individuals were the first to leave Marton Park on Follett St at 7am, followed by composite teams and the solo runners at 8am.

Two-person run teams will also have an 8am start, while the biggest group of running teams will take off at 9.30am.

There are 10 lap sections, with the composite teams running five and walking five of them.

The longest lap will be the 8.90km moderate section from Makohau Rd and changing at the Turakina Valley Rd junction.

But the hardest will be the 1.5km climb up the gravel road after passing the Mangara Stream on lap 3.

Another tough section will be the 2.5km climb up "Reid's Hill", which will finish at Kauangaroa Rd, on lap 7.

The race will end at the Wanganui East Club on Wakefield St in the city.