A group of accomplished Santa Fe runners who are organizing the city's first half-marathon this fall hope racers will include elite athletes, adventure tourists and local residents.

The new nonprofit the runners formed, Global Running Culture, would use the 13-mile race from the Fort Marcy Recreation Complex to Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino to raise money for youth fitness and nutrition programs.

"All of us have been competitive runners, so we know the sport from the athlete's perspective," said Joseph Karnes, an attorney who is part of the planning team along with Abraham Kosgei, a Pojoaque Valley High School running coach, and Antonio Lopez, a former state track and field champ who won the New Mexico Marathon in 2009.

"All of us have made a commitment to give back to the sport because it has given us so much," Karnes said.

Karnes was on the board of directors for the Big Sur International Marathon in California for six years. Kosgei, who was born in the Rift Valley of Kenya but now lives in Pojoaque, is an international competitor who qualified for the Kenyan Olympic team in 2000.

The three hope their experience, combined with Santa Fe's natural beauty and challenging conditions, will contribute to making the Sept. 18 race an annual success.

Big Sur was one of the first "destination marathons" to advertise tourist attractions alongside a major athletic endeavor, Karnes said. The idea has caught on since then. But given Santa Fe's lung-crushing, 7,000-foot elevation, organizers opted to try for 13 miles instead of 26.

"Most people live a lot lower than that, and running a full marathon at altitude is really pushing it. But then we said, 'Wait a minute, there are not many destination half-marathons that we know of,' " Karnes said.

The course starts at Fort Marcy and heads north on Old Taos Highway, paralleling U.S. 84/285 and offering views of the Sangre de Cristos and the Jemez Mountains. It then passes the Santa Fe Opera and Tesuque Village Market, and ends at the Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino on Pojoaque Pueblo.

The pueblo has organized a 12K race for the last two years, so Kosgei said he's banking on some of the 200 participants in last year's Thunder Run to sign up for the longer event. Pojoaque Pueblo Gov. George Rivera, who ran the Boston Marathon in 2009, also is lending support to the nonprofit endeavor this year, Kosgei said.

Kosgei was one of the founders of the AmeriKenya running club, which brought dozens of athletes to Santa Fe from African nations to train. Now, in addition to his duties with Pojoaque Valley High School, he's also a youth fitness coach at Pojoaque Pueblo Wellness Center and operates an all-ages running club in Northern New Mexico.

Teaching children the value of being an athlete is important, he said, and bringing high-profile athletes to compete in Santa Fe will help inspire youth to eat well and stay fit.

"When we plant that in their mind, they will change," he said, adding later, "Running is like a prayer. It is like a connection between you and nature. So if you're running, you pass a certain limit where you are enjoying it, and good things come to you."

Santa Fean Greg Gonzales, 48, said he's already planning to participate and is looking forward to a race that requires no travel. In past years, he's gone to Albuquerque, Phoenix and Los Angeles to run competitively. Years ago, he said, he participated in an event called Santa Fe Run Around and also recalls a local race around the Fiesta season.

"None of them really ever took off," Gonzales said. "It sounds like what these guys are trying to do would really be something that will put Santa Fe on the map for runners."

USA Track & Field recently certified the half-marathon course, which means it will be advertised as such for experienced athletes who want assurance that it's well-organized.

Participants will be able to drive to the casino and park, ride shuttle buses back to the starting line, and then run back to their vehicles. Organizers also plan live music along the course.

Charity beneficiaries include the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Fe, Wings of America, which helps Native American youth get into competitive running, and Gotab Berur, a Kenyan charity that focuses on community improvement.

Cyclists have long visited Santa Fe for the annual Santa Fe Century, a 100-mile bike event that attracts about 3,000 participants and is planned for May 15 this year. The city of Santa Fe's annual triathlon will be held July 16, and a 5K east-side race that benefits the Wood Gormley Elementary School Parent Teacher Association is scheduled for April 30.

Contact Julie Ann Grimm at 986-3017 or jgrimm@sfnewmexican.com.

IF YOU GO

What: Global Running Culture's half-marathon from Santa Fe to Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino

When: Sept. 18

Cost: $50, registration opens later this summer

Why: Proceeds benefit the Santa Fe Boys & Girls Club, Wings of America and Gotab Berur, a charity in Kenya

More information: www.santafethunder.com