This year's Auckland Marathon has turned into a bit of sprint to the starting line, and hundreds of hopeful runners have been caught out.
Tickets to enter the event sold out in record time, and that has produced a run of its own of people ready to splash out to get in.
Would-be marathon runner Di Coldham is willing to pay $300 to run in the Auckland marathon, $200 more than the ticket's face value.
"I decided that it was my year to get fit" she says. "My daughter goes to school next year, I've been training for six months, I had my heart set on doing the Auckland Marathon, it means a lot.
"And I was just so disappointed when the entries had closed."
She is one of dozens of people who have posted wanted ads on TradeMe after missing out on a place.
Only 7500 thousand entries are allowed, and contrary to popular misconception, it has nothing to do with the weight of runners on the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
"We're at capacity for the ferries getting everyone across the harbour to the start line," says organiser Stephen Brown. "We can't get more space on those ferries at the moment. The first half of the course we have pretty much one lane running through the city, so that's at capacity at the moment as well."
Marathon organisers are receiving hundreds of emails each day from people desperate to take their place at the starting line. This year, the event sold out eight weeks early.
"We've certainly sold out a lot earlier this year, and that's been a surprise to people," says Mr Brown. "We have sold out for the last three years in a row so, the fact that it's sold out isn't a surprise, just how early it's sold out."
One shoe store is reporting a 25 percent increase in business this year.
"I think people's interest in fitness is increasing, wanting to get out there and participate," says Scott Dudley from Shoe Clinic. "Certainly we've seen that with the marathon.
"I think the Olympics as well has inspired people to get out there and get more active," he says.
Marathon enthusiasts are already off to a better start next year. Organisers are currently working on a plan to change the route and increase the field.
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