Local runners looking for a good challenge at either 5K or 10K distances will get a chance to compete against some of the region’s most athletic competitive runners when the Bainbridge Kiwanis Club hosts its seventh annual River Run Saturday, Jan. 8.

The event will feature five-kilometer and 10-kilometer races which will take runners through natural settings in the Earle May Boat Basin, including along the Flint River, through a campground and on a wooded nature trail.

The 10K will feature a short stretch in part of downtown Bainbridge, including a brief but challenging hill climb.

Dozens of local runners are expected to compete alongside a diverse mix of runners from southeast Alabama, Southwest Georgia and North Florida, said race organizer Lance Wilson. The 10K course has been certified by the USA Track and Field organization, he said.

The entry fee before the race is $15, or $20 the day of the race, which includes a distinctive race T-shirt.

A “no T-shirt” entry is $10.

Registration on the day of the race begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, with races beginning at 9 a.m.

To pre-register, please visit http://www.active.com/10k-race/bainbridge-ga/7th-annual-bainbridge-kiwanis-club-river-run-2011 or call (229) 400-5854 for more information.

Special awards will be presented to overall winners, male and female, for the 5K and 10K runs, and medals will be given to the top three finishers in each age group.

The race’s sponsors include Bainbridge College and Family Bank.