Dunedin runner Mel Aitken has made little secret of her intentions and will return to defend the open women's title.
Aitken has featured consistently throughout the past year, in both road and off-road competition.
She was fourth in the City of Christchurch Marathon and fifth in the Gold Coast Marathon, both in times of 3hr 2min.
In off-road marathons, she won the Big Easy in Wanaka, slicing 18min from the women's record with a time of 3hr 38min, and finished second in the Motutapu in 3hr 40min.
Ready to keep Aitken honest on the journey around Otago Harbour tomorrow is Heather McKenzie (Christchurch), with an estimated time of 3hr 15min, while seasoned marathon campaigners Ingrid Frost (Auckland) and ultra-distance international Val Muskett (Otago) are sure to be in the mix.
There is not yet a favourite in the open men's race, though Tony Payne (Auckland) has declared his hand in switching from the half-marathon to the full event.
Payne (24), a former New Zealand 10,000m champion, has predicted a time of 2hr 20min, close to the race record established three years ago by Timaru's Sam Wreford, 2hr 19min 17sec.
Other contenders, based on their estimated times, are Tim Williams (Queenstown), Evan Dallow (Wellington), Jason Waite (Auckland) and Poolburn farmer Graham Sinnamon. Former New Zealand mountain running representative Russell Hurring (Dunedin) will be another keeping things honest at the top end of the field.
Also in the field is Wellington's Mike Stewart, who will be running his 508th marathon. Stewart (60) ran his 500th marathon on the Upper Hutt course last November, 42 years after completing his first.
The battle lines are being drawn in the open women's section of the half-marathon, where Louisa Andrew will be seeking to continue her golden run.
Andrew must see off challenges from Hannah Newbould (Canterbury), Toni Smith (Timaru), and Dunedin runners Bridget Thompson, Janice Finnie, Deborah Lynch and former champion Sarah Chisnall.
The open men's section of the half-marathon is equally as intriguing.
Daniel Balchin, with an estimated time of 1hr 9min, is the early favourite. He was third in last weekend's 10km national road championships in 30min 34sec, and two weeks earlier won the 10km Clyde to Alexandra road race in 30min 7sec.
Among other entrants who could feature in the open men's section of the half-marathon are Canterbury's Kerry Faass, Ethan Lankshear and Oliver Bachelor, Kirk Madgwick (Auckland) and Stewart Paul (Dunedin).
A future national talent to watch is Jonathon Lord, who will be race walking the half-marathon section.
Lord (17), a year 13 pupil at Timaru Boys' High School, won his third consecutive 5000m title at the national road championships in Dunedin last weekend, in 22min 22sec, a personal best time by 30sec.
He aims to use the half-marathon as endurance training for a qualification race in Auckland in December for the New Zealand team to contest the Transtasman Cup in Hobart in February.
Marathon steward Maria Sleeman said entries were already ahead of where they were last year (2037). She expects 70 to 80 more late entries, which can be lodged at the Forsyth Barr Stadium reception area at gate J until 4pm today.
Dunedin Marathon
Start/finish times
8am: Marathon start, Harington Pt9.30am: Half-marathon start, Forsyth Barr Stadium10.
10am: Leading half-marathon runners finish, Watson Park
10.20am: Leading marathon runners finish, Watson Park
