Organisers of what will be the last Christchurch Airport marathon are expecting about 5000 people to turn out of the run.
The marathon was run through the city until the February 2011 earthquake but since then it has been held around the airport.
Race director Chris Cox said Sunday would be the last of the airport marathons as the event would return to the city next year - something he was looking forward to.
"It's always been my vision that we hold a big event in a city like New York, like London - all those big events we know about around the world," Mr Cox said.
"We had, I think, got to that prior to the earthquake, where we had nearly 6000 entries, which is just phenomenal for an event like this in the South Island."
The race starts at 8am on Sunday.
