Volunteer army ready for the marathon (+ video)

Lake City Athletic Club volunteer Rinus Adriaansz helping fill the race bags ahead of Saturday's event. Photo / Stephen Parker

Preparations are well under way for the Rotorua Marathon which will see more than 5000 people take part in the races on offer.

The marathon is now in its 51st year, having been started in 1965 by Lake City Athletic Club.

It was a hive of activity at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre yesterday as volunteers and organisers set up registration and filled race bags ahead of Saturday's event.

Event director Murray Fleming said they had 600 volunteers, all locals, who were helping out this year.

"I think a lot of groups have been doing it for a long, long time, the majority have at least. They enjoy being part of the atmosphere - it's a spectacular event that has developed over the years," Mr Fleming said.

"All the starts have a haka, the music, the atmosphere, there is a massive crowd all around the lake. It's great just being part of the day, whether people are running or not."

Mr Fleming said there would be more than 500 competitors taking part in the different races, from the children's mini-marathon through to the 42.2km marathon around Lake Rotorua. Seventeen countries will be represented with 63 from Australia, 38 from Japan along with athletes from Germany, United States and Japan.

"There's been a survey done which found the number of supporters for everyone in in the event was two to one so we expect an additional 12,000 people watching," he said.

"It absolutely has an economic impact here ... it's quite strong and has been consistently strong for the last five years."

Registration open at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre tomorrow from 2-9pm and Saturday from 6.30-8.30am.

- More information: www.rotoruamarathon.co.nz.