There will be a mix of returning entrants and newcomers who also wanted to enter next year's 10th celebration event.
Former All Black Ian Jones, MNZM, will be competing this morning.
"He has heard so many good things that he wanted to experience it himself."
Mrs Skipworth is most looking forward to being able to celebrate everyone's journey with them.
Yesterday the Tamariki and Rangitahi event was held with about 500 students from 15 schools.
"It was awesome," Mrs Skipworth said.
There are also 25 people taking part in the Legend Series which incorporates today's event, last month's Quarter and Tauranga's Enduro race in January.
Motorists on State Highway 2 were advised to expect slight delays with preparations underway for the event from Thursday.
There was a temporary speed limit and lane closure in place at Pandora Rd, Westshore, and a full road closure of Meeanee Quay will be in place from 4am-5pm today.
Access from and to the Hawke's Bay Airport and Westshore will be by way of Prebensen Drive and the expressway.
During the event there will be cyclists on the Expressway and at times traffic will be slow through the Prebensen Drive roundabout.
Police will have an extra presence at the event with a team of at least six looking for prospective recruits from participants who had a desire to make a change and improve health and wellbeing not only for themselves for those around them.
As part of the two-day project the new Auckland-based "pirihimana car," with a Maori motif rearrangement of the blue and yellow decal common to the rest of the fleet will make its first trip to Hawke's Bay.
Police have had a similar connection to Ironmaori event in the past and Hawke's Bay area iwi liaison co-ordinator Sgt Phil Rowden said it was an event where police expected to find people who were interested in policing as a career.
Many of this morning's participants warmed up with the IronMaori Quarter in Napier on November 4 which had nearly 2000 entrants.
There was also the IronMaori Kaumatua, for over 55s, on November 3.