Cornerstone Fitness and Wellness is hosting its ninth annual Peach Run June 23.

The race begins at 7 a.m. Saturday and loops around Clanton, through a nearby rural area, across downtown and back to Cornerstone.

Locals don’t have to run in the race to participate. Lori Patterson, the fitness director at Cornerstone and the person in charge of organizing the event, encourages those who live or work along the route to stand on the sidelines and motivate the runners. Anyone is welcome to cheer at the finish line.

Patterson is looking forward to more enthusiasm from the community this year.

“I would really love for locals to be more involved,” she said. “This is the only time many of these runners will visit Clanton, and we want them to see us at our best.”

Around 100 people usually participate in the run, with the majority from out of town.

“This is something special we do to promote fitness, of course, and also to draw people in for the festival,” said Patterson. “While they are here, we want them to see everything else we have going on.”

For the second year, runners will receive a running bib—showing their individual numbers—that contains a computer chip. The chips will time runners from start to finish and will determine the winners.

There will be a male and female winner for both the 5k and 10k race in each age group—0 to 25, 26 to 40, 41 to 55, 56 to 70 and 70 and older. Age division winners will receive a basket of peaches. The overall male and female winners from both races will receive $100 in addition to their peaches.

Registration is $30, and anyone interested can register up to the morning of the race, but those who wait are not guaranteed a T-shirt.

To register, call Cornerstone Fitness and Wellness at 205-280-6450 or email Lori Patterson at l.patterson@cornerstonefitnesswellness.com.