“Running Man” author Charlie Engle will be the keynote speaker at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the First Presbyterian Church following the River City Runners and Walkers Club annual awards banquet. (Photo courtesy of Charlie Engle)

PARKERSBURG — The River City Runners and Walkers Club is offering an opportunity for residents of the Mid-Ohio Valley and beyond following their annual awards banquet Friday, Feb. 11 set for the First Presbyterian Church on Juliana Street.

After the awards banquet, which starts at 5:30 p.m., “Running Man” author Charlie Engle, who was featured in the 2007 documentary film “Running the Sahara” narrated by Matt Damon, will speak at 7:30 p.m.

“He’s one of the best ultra distant runner marathoners in the world today,” said Carol Seely, the secretary of the RCRWC. “Basically, 40 countries he’s run across and he also ran across the Sahara Desert with two friends (Ray Zahab and Kevin Lin).

“He’s also had an addiction.”

“He had a cocaine addiction and it was very serious, but running helped pull him out of that. He’s been 28-plus years sober. This is what drives and challenges him to do all these crazy adventures and pushing himself to the limit.”

Seely said it’s been a number of years since the RCRWC has had a keynote speaker. The main reason is because the awards ceremony generally is too long.

All current members of the RCRWC will be admitted free, but anyone else who wants to attend can do so for $14.

“We’re trying very hard to get the word out,” Seely added. “We figure a personality like him, people would be willing to travel for an hour or two to see him.

“I don’t know if there are very many opportunities like this to see him speak, unless you had to pay a lot of money to do it. We are very excited about this.”

On his website — charlieengle.com — he states his “greatest challenge is the one I take on every single day — sobriety. I have been clean and sober since July 23, 1992. While my daily urge to drink and use drugs has waned over the years, I still struggle with the addict that lives inside of me. It took me a long time to figure out that I can not, and should not, kill my addictive nature.

“Instead, my challenge has been finding a way to use the addict within me for positive, purpose-driven pursuits. It’s fair to say that running, and running far, is at the core of my vitality and enduring sobriety. It lays a foundation for goals that keep me focused and it gives me the freedom of movement that I love.”

Seely said RCRWC board member Scott Burnham gathered a list of potential keynote speakers and Engle ended up being the perfect fit.

“We’re putting him up at the Blennerhassett Hotel for two nights. The next morning after the banquet, on Saturday the 12th, he’s agreed to do a club run,” Seely added. “Tell me that’s not cool. Who would like to run with a famous personality like that? We decided we can’t just let him speak only to our club. We have to open this to the community. This guy is coming pretty much out of the goodness of his heart.

“Any members of the club or anyone that hears him will become a (RCRWC) member. They are invited to come and meet Scott Burnham and Charlie Engle at the fountain in front of the Lafayette Hotel at 9 a.m. that Saturday in Marietta and they are going to do a run. Anyone can go out. I don’t know how many miles they are going to do.”

Any business or high school that might be interested in negotiating a group rate should contact Seely at 740-705-7182.

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com