Organiser Greg Lang reckons the course record is set for a drubbing when the Allflex Gladstone to Carterton wheelbarrow pub to pub race is held tomorrow.
Lang bases his judgement on the number of proven athletes who are part of the 20 teams entered for the 13km event which starts
outside the Gladstone Inn and finishes at the Carterton RSA.
The present record stands at 56m 1s and Lang considers many of the combinations included in one of three categories (men, women and mixed) could comfortably better that time.
"It's a strong field, the best we have had," Lang said. "It should be all on from the word go."
New Zealand ultra marathon representative Graeme Butcher will be in the mixed section in partnership with noted endurance walker Brenda Farley and the distance will obviously no problem for them.
