Auckland Marathon: Elite line-up makes women's 21.1km event one to watch

Nikki Hamblin is looking forward to running with a strong group with plenty of pace. Photo / Greg Bowker

A world-class field is expected to make the ASB Auckland women's half marathon one of the feature events tomorrow of the country's largest road race.

Two-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist Nikki Hamblin will be among the favourites to claim the title over the 21.1km distance.

She expects to face tough competition from Gabby O'Rourke, the runner-up from last year's half marathon to Danielle Ingram-Trevis, Camille Buscomb, 2011 Auckland Marathon champion Lisa Robertson and Lydia O'Donell who has a PB of 1:15:24.

Hamblin took a few weeks off after the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and has eased back to a full programme to be ready for this event.

"I really wanted to run the half-marathon because this time of year is all about building a big aerobic base and it provided a goal to keep me accountable on all those long runs," said the 26-year-old.

The middle-distance runner welcomed the quality competition that she will face, which also includes other elite runners like Maria Bentley, Annie Keown and Katie Kemp.

"It's awesome.

"Hopefully I will be part of a strong group of women making a race of it and pushing each other to some speedy times."

Hamblin said she'd be happy with anything around her personal best in a half marathon of 76 minutes which she ran in Auckland in 2010.

The British-born athlete, who holds the New Zealand record for the 1500m at 4:04:82, loves the challenge of competing over the half marathon distance.

"From my limited experience road racing is a very different atmosphere to track racing," she said.

"It's awesome to be out running the same course at the same time as hundreds of other people, which is something you don't get on the track.

"I also love a challenge and a half marathon, and in particular the Auckland course, definitely provides that."

Hamblin, the runner-up in 2010 to Trevis, is looking for the ideal build up to a busy upcoming international schedule.

After the half-marathon, she is heading to Japan to run a 5km as part of the New Zealand team in the Chiba Ekiden relay.

"I'm really excited to be part of a strong New Zealand team with a great group of Kiwis."

Her immediate goal in 2015 is to run a qualifying time for the World Champs 1500m, hopefully on home ground.

But before all that she'd love to claim her first Auckland Half Marathon title.

Meanwhile, in the men's half marathon, Jonathan Jackson, the NZ mountain running champion, will look to go one better than his runner-up finish in 2013.

The Auckland runner finished only 20 seconds back from champion Oska Inkster-Baynes (Wanaka) when he ran the race in 1:07:46.

He will face competition at the sharp end of the field from Michael Banks, Daniel Balchin, Luke Hurring and Hamish Carson.

In the signature race, the marathon, Takapuna runner Stephen Lett will also look to improve on his runner-up finish to Sam Wreford in 2013.

Lett is among the favourites for the race that includes Japan's Ken Oishi and Kiwis Josh Maisey, Steven O'Callaghan and Tony Payne.

There are only three elite women to watch in the marathon.

Australian Kirstin Molloy, the 2013 champion when she won in 2:52.24, will begin as the favourite.

She grabs that tag ahead of Jess Ruthe and former Kiwi Olympian Liza Hunter-Galvan.