Only a few more spots for the scenic Lehigh Gap Nature Center 10K remain.

On Saturday morning,participants will lace up their shoes to traverse the newly designed terrain of the sixth annual race. The day kicks off at 9 a.m., with a 2-mile scamper followed by the 10K at 9:30 a.m. The race takes place at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center at 8844 Paint Mill Road in Slatington.According to the nature center’s Amber Breiner, the course design has seen its third change since the creation of the race. The course will begin on the Delaware & Lehigh Trail behind the center, taking runners along a flat stretch before turning up onto the north side of the Kittatinny Ridge of the Blue Mountain to 1,400 feet above sea level with moderate ups and downs along the way. Racers will end near the start line after 6.2 miles.The newest addition to this year’s race is the Prairie Grass Trail stretch, located between the LNE and Chestnut Oak trails along the 750-acre wildlife refuge. Runners will follow the Chestnut Oak Trail to the finish line, enjoying uninterrupted views of the Lehigh River.Dr. Michael Martinez has run each race hosted by the center.“I love running trails. It is a much more relaxed event than your typical 5K road race, and the participants are wonderful,” he said.Martinez said the new course could take the average runner a little over an hour to complete.“One of my favorite sections of this year’s course is also a section which has never been raced on in the first five years of the race. It has a series of steep ascents and descents.”Though the terrain changes throughout the marathon, Martinez said special equipment is not required.“This year’s course features the most amount of technical, single-track that we’ve ever had. There are rocky sections and footing can be uneven but I run the course in my regular running shoes,” he said.He advises runners to take a water bottle along for the trek.The race has been gaining popularity since starting in 2011, and this year has seen its largest turnout to date, Breiner said.“We are on track to eclipse the previous years,” she said.The race serves as a fundraiser for the center, and money collected will be used for trail maintenance and everyday operations.“We have raised over $5,000 since the inception of the race. All of the proceeds from the event benefit the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. Funds in the past have been used to purchase mowers to help maintain the trail system,” she said.The 2.3-mile scamper has terrain suitable for family members of all ages and ability levels and includes the short but challenging Bobolink Trail.Awards for top overall male and female runner in both the 10K and the 2-mile scamper will be handed out at the completion of the race.To register for the event, log onto

www.lgnc10k.com under the events tab.