They came, they saw, they sweated and they ached. But plenty left with smiles on their faces after the weekend's 13th annual Orange Running Festival.
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Orange Runners Club president Anthony Daintith said about 1840 people competed in the events.
"We were about 440 up from last year. We were up across all the races."
Mr Daintith that while an analysis of the entries had still to be done he believed that about 50 per cent of the competitors had come from out of town.
This is our 13th year. It's been going for a long time now.
- Anthony Daintith, Orange Runners Club president
And each one of them helped to boost the local economy.
"It brings a lot of people to town," he said.
"Some have kids who would have run in the two-kilometre junior dash on Saturday.
"A lot them would have come and made a weekend out of the it.
"This is our 13th year. It's been going for a long time now. People come back.
"It's fantastic for the town."
Mr Daintith said some would have taken the opportunity to visit local attractions, including wineries, Lake Canobolas and Mount Canobolas.
"They bring family. They might stay overnight," he said.
Mr Daintith said people had visited from Sydney, Canberra and throughout the Central West.
He said he had heard one woman competing was from Canada.
The event was also the opening round of the NSW Regional Distance Running Championships.
Mr Daintith said that had also enticed people to come to the Orange Running Festival as they were competing in the series.
That series continues in Bathurst where a half-marathon and a 10-kilometre event will be held on April 28.
That is followed by the Mudgee Running Festival on August 18, the Dubbo Stampede on August 25 and the Forbes Running Festival on October 18.
The 2019 series concludes with the Carcoar Cup Running Festival on the weekend of November 2-3.
The series includes four marathons, six half-marathons and six 10-kilometre races.
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