Marathon gets under way today

GET UP, GET GOING: Go on down for the start of the 3 Bridges Marathon this morning. PHOTO/FILE

Hopes for good walk up to start

There were a few speed wobbles with the course for 2015, but if blessed with a good walk-up this morning then the 12th annual 3Bridges Marathon should prove as popular as ever for the runners and walkers course alongside Whanganui River.

Taking in four 10.5km laps across the City, Dublin St and Cobham bridges, the headline marathon event had 27 entries late yesterday afternoon, including locals and other runners from Feilding, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Waverley and Wellington.

There were 76 entries for the half marathon - two laps of the same course - while the 10km run and walking events also had sizeable entry numbers.

After a record number of 709 across all eight running and walking categories in 2013, Wanganui Harriers spokesman Bill Charnock said this week's pre-event registrations had exceeded what they were at the same time last year when 628 people took part.

"Whether that will be reflected in a larger walk up, I don't know," Charnock said.

Damage from the June floods to the walkway along Anzac Parade, across the road from the Red Lion Hotel, and at Kowhai Park, initially had the course in doubt for this year's event.

However, the Harriers club was able to work with NZ Transport Authority, Whanganui District Council and Loaders contractors to ensure today's event followed close to its traditional course format.

The full marathon and three-quarter marathon walkers, who do three laps, will depart first thing this morning at 6.30am.

Marathon and three-quarter marathon runners will be off at 7.30am, with the quickest of them looking to complete the course just under the three hour mark, with last year's winning time being around 2hr 50m.

At 8am it will the half marathon walkers who leave, followed by the half marathon runners at 9am.

The 10km run - once around the course goes at 9.30am, followed right afterwards by the 5km runners, who just follow the Dublin and City Bridge loop.

The start/finish is across from the Union Boat Club sheds on Somme Parade.

Entries can be taken on the day up to 30 minutes before events start.