The Inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 5k and 10k Walk/Run is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 13, in downtown Stockton. This new Walk/Run gives participants the choice of a 10k Run or 5k Run/Walk, on two extremely flat and fast courses, featuring lots of visibility for the runners of the field, ahead and behind them. The courses’ sights include the beautiful downtown of Stockton at Dr. Martin Luther King Plaza.

The President of the Stockton Branch of the NAACP, which is hosting the event, stated that the “Revenue received from this race will fund community efforts, such as educating and empowering citizens to make better health-related decisions and to address matters of viable health-care services, treatment, and other relevant matters that impact our community.”

All participants will receive a commemorative technical T-shirt, custom finisher medal, pre-race refreshments and post-race box-lunch. Placement medals will go to the top-three overall male/female categories in each event, ages 18 and older and 17 and under. There will also be a trophy for the oldest runner.

Registration and day of event entry fees, for both races, are $50 for adults, 18 and over and $25 for youth, 17 and under.

There will be an early race-packet pick up held on Friday, Jan. 12, from noon to 6 p.m., at Fleet Feet Sports Stockton, 277 Lincoln Ctr., Stockton.

Race-day check in and registration will open up at 7:30 a.m., at Dr. Martin Luther King Plaza, 2 East Oak St., Stockton. This will be the same general area where the race’s finish/start lines and Expo will take place. Both 10k and 5k runs will start at 9 a.m.

For all event and vendor questions, contact Carolyn Gaynor at (209) 466-7005 or (916) 761-3370.

Founded in February, 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most widely recognized grassroots based civil rights organization. For 85 years, the Stockton Branch NAACP has provided free services through their volunteers to the Stockton/San Joaquin community.