Photos: Little Pigs race through Whangārei forest

Race director Brian Barach gives competitors the course instructions at Glenbervie Forest HQ, for the Three Pigs Two Day Marathon held in the forest over the weekend.

Glenbervie residents may have heard a bit of grunting, squealing and snorting over the weekend. But it wasn't anything to get worried about, just the dozens of competitors in the Three Pigs 10th anniversary two-day marathon.

The Three Pigs Two Day Marathon was held in Glenbervie Forest, Whangārei, over the weekend with a 16km run or 10km walk on Saturday morning, 5.1km run on Saturday afternoon, and 21.1km half marathon on Sunday morning. There were races for adults and children.

The aim of the event was for people to go along, appreciate the outdoors in a traffic-free environment, have fun and challenge themselves, and mull around the trough afterwards with other like-minded Pigs.

Northern Advocate photographer Michael Cunningham went along too.

The runners about to trot off at the start of a race.

Anna Sisson, Mary Searle Bell and Kristy Ibbotson from Auckland's 'The Runners' club ready to tackle the Glenbervie Forest.

Whangārei's Nigel Stowe and Tony Yung about to head off.

Organiser Oringa Barach gives some last-minute instructions.

Whangārei's Mandy Edge, Nancy Bowmar, Christine Fraser Kitchen and Carol Dahlberg from Mangawhai Heads at Glenbervie Forest.