Hatuma Half Marathon celebrates four decades

There's always a fun factor to the Hatuma Half Marathon.

The Hatuma Half Marathon, an iconic event on the Central Hawke's Bay sporting calendar is celebrating its 40th year, a milestone the organising committee is keen to celebrate, bringing colour, costumes and fun to the Waipukurau Racecourse on Sunday, September 15.

The Hatuma Half Marathon starts and finishes at the Waipukurau Racecourse and from there runners and walkers can take their pick between 21.1km and 10km distances or as teams of four, taking in the beautiful scenery around Lake Whatuma.

The event is always a popular race on the running calendar for competitive runners and a fun day out for more casual walkers and runners.

The race attracts both locals and visitors to Central Hawke's Bay with more than 200 expected for the 40th celebration.

The organising committee including Aaron Topp from Hatuma – major sponsor of the event, Garth Sherwood, Mathias Konia, Nicki Heremaia from Sport Hawke's Bay and Anna Molly Baldwin from Hawke's Bay Tourism are keen to make the 40th celebration a colourful day, bringing together previous winners and regular competitors, with music and entertainment at the start and finish line and around the course.

This year there is a big focus on the fun factor, says Heremaia. "We are encouraging costumes and face paint...in fact we're going to offer different colours of face paint at each team transition station and water station, so by the time participants get to the end they can be slathered in colour."
There will be spot prizes for best costumes and best paint jobs.

There will be entertainment and encouragement for participants on the course, to keep them pumped up and urge them on.

"It will be a family-friendly atmosphere with lots of entertainment around the finish line. We have really upped the ante on venue entertainment with hands-on activities for the young at heart, music and commentary at the finish line, Waipawa Butchery sausages sizzling and barista coffee as well as a 'pop-up' market of delectable products from local Central Hawke's Bay producers" says Nicki Heremaia from Sport Hawke's Bay.

The festivities at Waipukurau Racecourse are in partnership with the Central Hawke's Bay's Spring Fling. There will be a mini Central Hawke's Bay market for competitors and locals to come and enjoy – and purchase local food, produce and products with Waipawa Butchery sausages, Bucks Vege Truck and HENdons eggs joining in, as well as coffee and ice cream, and face painting for the kids.

The organising committee is also keen to find past participants who may have run in the first Hatuma Half Marathon or completed multiple events over the last 40 years, to share in the festivities.

For more information and to enter online: www.hatumahalfmarathon.co.nz