More than 600 runners from across the mountains and Southeast are expected in Cherokee on Saturday, Oct. 19, for the second Cherokee Harvest Half Marathon & 5K. 

Two recent marathon winners from the mountains — Jason Bodnar of Canton who won the Biltmore Marathon and Scott Williams of Asheville who won the Asheville Citizen-Times Marathon — are both entered in the half marathon and will go head to head against each other. Williams won the inaugural Harvest Half Marathon in 2012.

The race is put on by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and benefits the Madison Hornbuckle Children’s Cancer Foundation.

Both the half marathon and 5K courses begin and end at the Acquoni Events Center and offer runners a scenic tour of many of the communities in Cherokee. Twelve of the half marathon’s 13 miles are flat, making this one of the fastest half marathon courses in the mountains. The 5K has a rectangular course encompassing central Cherokee and is also very flat.

Online registration for both races continues through Thursday, Oct. 17, with onsite registration and packet pickup on Friday and Saturday at the Acquoni Events Center in Cherokee. Race information and the link to registration can be found at www.cherokeeharvesthalf.com.