marathon, half marathon and 10K, with a late rush of several hundred more expected this week.

The road running extavaganza, sponsored by the Bank of Butterfield, kicks off with the Front Street Mile on Friday, January 14.

The 10K race is run on the Saturday and the long-distance races on the Sunday.

So far, 429 runners have entered the marathon, 211 the half marathon, 251 the 10K and 35 have entered the 10K charity walk -- roughly on a par with last year at this stage.

Race Weekend secretary Pam Shailer said entries had been received from as far afield as Belgium, South Africa, Canada and the US.

It is hoped that this year's invitational mile race for elite runners will attract a higher calibre of athlete after the bonus on offer to the first runner in the race's history to break the four-minute barrier was doubled to $20,000 by the sponsors.

No-one has yet come close to breaking four minutes on a course regarded as tough and the record, set by American Joe Falcon in 1992, is 4:04.2.

Last year's race was lacking in well known names and was won by American Karl Paranya in 4:06.

Names of the top overseas runners who will compete this year will be revealed this week.

The weekend has again attracted a large number of charity entrants from overseas, including a total of 376 from the Leukaemia Society of America `Team in Training' and The Arthritis Foundation `Joints in Motion' fundraising chapters.

Another group, Why Me, from Worcester, Massachusetts, is sending a group of 43 runners for families of children with cancer.

The dealine for entries at the standard fee of $30 for the 10K and half marathon and $40 for the marathon is this Friday. After that, all late entries will cost $50. Entry forms are available at sports shops and can be dropped off at Sportseller.

Late entry registration and number pick-up will take place in the Harbour Room at the Number One Passenger Terminal in Hamilton on Thursday and Friday next week from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.