With only a few days to go until race day, the course for the Northburn 100 is marked out and organisers are putting the finishing touches to their preparations.
The 100 mile (160km), 100km and 50km races around Northburn Station, near Cromwell, attracts runners from all over the world and has been called ''brutal'' by many.
This year, organisers are upping the ante with extra events on the side.
''Of particular interest is the kids' 1.5km adventure run course which includes running up a creek, scrambling over rocks, climbing up on to a ridge and back around and down a farm track. I believe it is the only kids' adventure run of its type in Otago-Southland, possibly in New Zealand,'' race director Terry Davis said.
''We're going to have a wee podium and medals for all the different age categories from under 7s to under 16s ... older kids have to go around two or three times.''
As well, there will be a 5km or 10km night run, where competitors will be expected to run with a headlight or torch around a course marked with reflective tape.
Mr Davis said it, too, was the only run of its kind that he knew of in Otago.
What he found particularly exciting and encouraging was that children were keen to enter both the adventure and the night runs.
There will also be a half marathon.
Now in its third year, the Northburn 100 was the brainchild of New Zealand ultramarathon runner Lisa Tamati, who joined forces with station owner Tom Pinckney, Tourism Cromwell board members Glen Christiansen and Emma McDonald and Mr Davis. Racing begins at 6am on Saturday and competitors have 48 hours in which to finish the race, which will see them climbing and descending around 8000m.
Mr Davis said American ultramarathon runners Ray Sanchez and Molly Sheriden would be racing again as well as Australia's top female mountain runner, Shona Stephenson, and some ''very high quality'' competitors from around New Zealand, including last year's winner, Glenn Sutton, of Dunedin.
Mr Davis said Ms Stephenson had to pull out of the Tarawera 100km last weekend because of a stomach complaint but she had since told him she was committed to running the Northburn 100.
The 100 mile, 100km and 50km race starts at 6am on Saturday and the half marathon will start at 8am.
The children's adventure run will take place in the early afternoon, with various starting times for different age groups.
The night run will start at 8.30pm.
Registrations for the fun events can be made on the day but registration for the big races closes on Friday afternoon.
So far, 50 people had registered for the 100 mile run, 22 for the 100km, 21 for the 50km and 50 for the half marathon, Mr Davis said.
He hoped 50 people would register for the night run and about 40 children.
