The annual test of endurance and stamina known as the Forster Running Festival will be held this Sunday.
Competitors will pound the pavement in the two or four kilometre kids fun runs, five kilometre run, 10 kilometre run or the half marathon (21.1 kilometres).
The top runners will contest the treble bridge buster - a combination of the five kilometre, 10 kilometre and half marathon events.
Race director Kevin Chilvers said the event will feature competitors from across the area and the State.
“We’re just on 1000 runners registered but we’ll be around the mark of last year’s of about 1500,” Kevin said.
“It will make for a cracking weekend.”
Several established distance runners will set the pace for the field.
Former Australian 10 kilometre champion and World Cross Country Championships representative Bridey Delaney will be one to watch.
“She’ll use the festival as a springboard into the marathon season,” Kevin said.
Newcastle’s Vlad Shatrov is locked in to tackle the bridge buster.
“He’s a seasoned marathon and ultra-marathon runner and will be coming up after competing in the Sydney Marathon last weekend,” Kevin said.
The four kilometre ‘Walk, Sweat, Inspire’ event will raise funds for the Indigenous Marathon Foundation
“It’s about supporting Indigenous Australians to be fit and active as well as participating in marathons,” Kevin said.
The organisation supported Port Macquarie runner Zane Sparke to take part in last year’s New York City Marathon.
