I’m trying to forget that my alarm clock will ring at 5 a.m. Saturday.

“Good morning, beautiful. Are you ready to run 13.1 miles?”

My first answer will probably be “no.” But I’ll get up anyway.

I won’t be the only one. Plenty of people will answer an early morning wakeup call to participate in Saturday’s Soldier Marathon and Half Marathon, which begins at the National Infantry Museum.

Now in its second year, the event is expected to attract about 1,400 participants. You can still register Friday and Saturday for the marathon (26.2 miles), half marathon (13.1 miles) or relay marathon. The event supports the National Infantry Museum and the House of Heroes.

A recent Riverwalk collapse caused some concern that the Soldier Marathon would lose its certification as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

But earlier this week, event organizers were optimistic that the race would keep its certification, either in the form of a new certified route or a safer version of the original course.

“It appears that by the end of this week we will have two certified marathon courses to choose between,” organizers wrote on the event’s official Facebook page.

Follow ledger-enquirer.com for updates on the race’s certification as the event approaches.

There’s a pasta dinner for race participants 6-7:30 p.m. Friday at the National Infantry Museum. Cost is $15 for adults and $7.50 for children.

Participants should expect a course that’s generally flat. I ran the half marathon last year, and just one hill on Fort Benning early in the course gave me trouble. That hill remains on this year’s route, so prepare accordingly.

You’ll find water stations approximately every two miles on the course. Expect a wide assortment of food at the finish line -- everything from McDonald’s breakfast burritos and burgers to Coke products to Michelob Ultra beer.

Want to watch the race? Spectators should hang out at the museum, the site of the races’ start and finish lines. If you want to see marathon runners, go to Rotary Park or the TSYS parking lot.

Sonya Sorich, reporter, can be reached at ssorich@ledger-enquirer.com or 706-571-8516.