The American runner who penned an article in a US magazine praising the Bermuda Marathon Weekend, will be in action this weekend.

Ray Leone, who lives in Washington state, first took part in the Bermuda races in 1979. Thirty years later he returned to compete in the Bermuda Triangle Challenge in 2009, and he ran again in 2010 and 2011. Last year he made another return trip and he intends to compete in this year’s event.

Leone wrote a three-page feature in the October edition of Northwest Runner, a monthly magazine based in Washington, praising the Island and its friendliness during the annual running festival, which takes place in January.

He wrote: “During the race weekend an excitement is felt in the air that’s similar to that experienced at races like the Boston Marathon. Runners can also feel a bit Olympian as they’ll see their names in print — The Royal Gazette publishes the names of all the runners.”

Leone will be wearing race bib number 303 in the 10K, and number 1478 in the half-marathon.