Whether you’re an elite athlete or simply an occasional jogger,  reasons for entering half marathons are many and varied. With the ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon looming, Sport Northland was keen to explore those reasons with  the  many competitors who have already signed up to run this  popular event –hearing remarkable stories of those who’ve entered in the past.

Responses have been interesting; looking back at last year’s event, the performance of Kerikeri High School student Callum Robertson-Barnes stands out. Sixteen-year-old Callum ran the half marathon in a pair of ‘crocs’. This ‘uniform’ was unplanned, as he had left his running shoes on the school bus the night before the race. Despite the irregular running attire, he finished the event in 10th place with a time of 1:23:03.

Other stories include a competitor who will be completing his 93rd half marathon – on the way to reaching his astounding goal of completing 100 half marathons.  Another includes a group of mums from Coatesville who have entered the ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon with the goal of getting fit.

One notable response is that of Auckland’s Tony Clarke who has entered the race for the 22nd consecutive year. The race was first established by the Kerikeri Athletics and Striders Club 26 years ago, meaning Tony has only missed taking part in the first four events. The number of competitors has certainly increased from the original 100-plus in 1989.

The event has changed in many other ways over 26 years. An exciting change has occurred this year as ASB has come on board as naming rights sponsor. ASB Head of Community and Sponsorship Mark Graham says ASB enjoys a long association with Sport Northland and is delighted to extend that through involvement with the ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon this year.

“We are really looking forward to working alongside Sport Northland in ASB’s first year of involvement in the ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon,” Mr Graham says.

“ASB has played a big part in sporting events throughout Northland for many years and it’s great to now be involved in this iconic regional running event. ASB is honoured to add yet another local event to our long-standing partnership with Sport Northland. In a beautiful part of the country, and with both locals and many visitors taking part, the ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon is a fantastic race and we wish all runners the best of luck.”

The ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon will be held on Saturday 21 November. Entries are still open at www.runwalkseries.co.nz