Contestants are expected to travel from near and far for the ninth annual Forster Running Festival this Sunday, September 22.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The event has already attracted more participants than previous years, with entrants confirmed from as far afield as Queensland and Victoria and race director Kevin Chilvers expecting close to 1400 runners to take part on the day.
"It's truly a major regional event," Mr Chilvers said.
"People are coming from everywhere."
Based at Forster Main Beach, the festival will feature a kids 3km fun run, 5km and 10km runs, and a 21.1km half-marathon.
For the committed there's also the Treble Bridge Buster, which will see competitors combine the half-marathon, 10km and 5km run into a three leg ultra-challenge.
Entries for this event have already sold out.
But while the festival will undoubtedly attract a number of top-line runners, Mr Chilvers said it's not really aimed at elite competitors.
"It's really about people coming and having a go," he said.
"There's an event for everyone."
With the phrase 'run happy' a major slogan of the festival, Mr Chilvers said it was all about promoting running as an enjoyable social activity.
In particular, he wanted to attract as many kids as possible, with the event offering the opportunity for parents to run alongside their children.
Mr Chilvers said in the three years he'd been directing the festival it had grown exponentially, due in no small part to the beauty of Forster Tuncurry.
"We've got such a stunning foreshore," he said.
"The beautiful bridge, the two break walls - people get gobsmacked by the pristine blue water. It's something special."
For non-runners, the festival also offers a 3km walk that raises money for the Indigenous Marathon Foundation.
Online entries for the event close at midnight on Thursday, September 19, with late entries still accepted up to one hour before race starting times if field capacity hasn't been met.
For more information, click here.
Stay ahead with local news by signing up for the Great Lakes Advocate newsletter here.