"It would feel awesome [to cross the finish line]. I'm doing it for family, whanau - I'm trying to be an example for them, if I can do it they can do it.
"Taupo is my iwi, I'll be swimming in the waters of my ancestors and I'll recognise the sacrifices of my family," Walmsley said.
Papuni said he started training for the IronMaori quarter at the start of last year.
"That was my only goal, then I helped out with the volunteers at the last Ironman and that inspired me a little bit. I did my first marathon that year and my first long bike ride, the 100km Flyer, and once I'd done those I started doing some swimming lessons and committed to the Ironman.
"I feel good, I'm ready to go," Papuni said.
Haereroa said the group started as "a couple of fellas" training together.
"We started getting bigger and talking to people, knowing everyone was doing the same sort of programme we thought we'd make a page where we could do it together and support each other.
"I've watched a lot of people do it, I started with IronMaori but never thought I could do the Ironman, until a person who I thought was awesome did it and inspired me to take it on. Someone I've known for years, she was a big woman and to see her go from where she was to achieving that was awesome. The pros don't inspire me, people like her do," Haereroa said.
Wheeler said training in a group was a good way to share knowledge.
"There are some more experienced ones who offer advice and 10 of us who have never done the full Ironman. It's really motivational - if you don't feel like doing your run and you look and everyone else has done theirs it helps.
"To me it's the pinnacle of long-distance events. I couldn't think of anything harder but achievable, so I want to do it while I'm young enough and healthy enough and fit enough.
"It's been a wonderful year of sharing with everybody and learning from each other," Wheeler said.
The Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand starts at 6.45am from the Northern Domain in Taupo.
