Event organiser Terry Davis said last year’s inaugural event was well received, with positive feedback from participants about the scenic course and organisation.
To build on that momentum, organisers have proposed a half marathon and a 10km race to this year’s lineup.
The races are still pending approval from the Southern Lakes Trails Trust.
"We’re hoping the addition of the shorter distances will encourage more people to give it a go," Mr Davis said.
The event showcases the popular Lake Dunstan Trail between Cromwell and Clyde, drawing runners from around the region and beyond.
Mr Davis said he wanted to make the event suitable for road runners with aid stations every 4km, meaning runners did not have to carry backpacks with their own food and drink.
"That’s a lot more aid stations than you’d normally have on a trail sort of marathon and these aid stations, people need to get there by boat, so there’s quite a lot involved in putting on this event."
The logistical challenges came from trying to bring as much comfort from a city marathon out to the trails, he said.
Compared to other events Mr Davis had organised, like the tough mountain marathon at Mt Difficulty, the Lake Dunstan run was basically a flat run in his view.
But for regular flat road runners, the trail was not flat, there being a vertical gain of 600m, he said.
Unlike other events he had organised, the Lake Dunstan Trail Marathon would be a running marathon.
"This one you can actually run the whole way — some people will choose to walk a couple of the hills, but the vast majority will run the whole distance."
For that reason, Mr Davis wanted to set up lots of aid stations and have no minimum gear requirements.
Entries for the event are open until September 3 and would cost $290.
The entry fee would go to running the event and raising funds for the Southern Lakes Trails Trust, he said.
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