Editorial: Finish line a place that inspires

Anyone who has ever stood near the end of a marathon course will have seen the emotional, physical and mental agony runners put themselves through to reach that finish line.

It sounds a bit like the start of a joke - the one about the solicitor, the chef and the seismologist.

Throw in a police inspector and it sounds like a cracker!

They are among the top contenders for tomorrow's Lion Foundation Rotorua Marathon, as reported in today's sport section.

The marathon is truly an iconic Rotorua event and while the elite runners are a crucial part of the race, sprinting down that finishing straight as if they've just been for a Sunday morning jog, its beauty is that it's an event anyone can aspire to be part of.

We all have our marathon memories - whether it's the first time we made the run around the lake ourselves (sadly, not a memory of mine), travelling to the city to support family members (that one I can tick off ) or just standing outside your house cheering as hordes of runners stream past.

Anyone who has ever stood near the end of a marathon course will have seen the emotional, physical and mental agony runners put themselves through to reach that finish line.

When a runner is struggling, or hitting that notorious "wall" it can often be the yells of encouragement from the sidelines that keep them going.

The finish line of the Rotorua Marathon is an inspirational place, where people of all ages, sizes and backgrounds achieve goals some probably never thought possible. T

hat deserves our support. So come on Rotorua, find a spot somewhere around the course tomorrow for a spot of cheering.

To all the locals taking part, good luck! To the visitors in town this weekend, welcome to our beautiful city.

We look forward to cheering you all on from the footpaths during the race then toasting your success with you tomorrow night.

- Don't forget to follow rotoruadailypost.co.nz and like Rotorua Daily Post on Facebook for updates from the marathon throughout the day.