By Will Woodbery, Staff Writer

For some runners, the notion of elevated terrain can be deflating — physically and mentally.

Not for Joseph Sitienei, the 10-kilometer winner in Saturday’s 26th annual BlueCross Riverbend Run & Walk. He’s used to the climb.

“When you run on the mountains, it’s really good. It really works your legs,” said Sitenei, who grew up in a region of Kenya where altitudes reach 2,000 meters above sea level.

It’s no surprise that Sitienei has found his niche in the rolling Chattanooga area. He has been a dominant figure in local running events since moving to the area, having won the Chickamauga Chase 15K and the 65 Roses 5K this year and the Raccoon Mountain 10K last year.

“I love it here,” said Sitenei, 33, who finished Saturday’s 10K in 32 minutes, 50 seconds.

Chattanooga native Alan Horton of Knoxville was second in 34:35, followed by Joseph Goetz in 36:08, Matt Mansell in 36:17 and masters winner Hugh Enicks, 48, in 36:40. Jake Bradley also beat a six-minute pace with a 37:10 finish.

He finished second in last year’s ING Georgia Marathon in Atlanta and this year’s ING Miami Half Marathon to U.S. Olympian Brian Sell.

“You don’t say, ‘I have to win.’ It all depends on how your body runs,” Sitienei said. “Actually, as you run, you feel you are going to do good.”

Jan Gautier didn’t feel so good about her time but remained the only women’s winner in the three years of the Riverbend 10K. Her time was 42:58, 21st overall, following her 39:48 in 2006 and her 40:37 last year.

“Today I was just going for the win,” said Gautier, 42, who was the 5K women’s winner eight times in 10 years beginning in 1991. “My time today wasn’t very fast as far as times I have run in the past. But I’ll take the win. I guess that’s where it counts.

“It’s a tough course. There’s a lot of people. It just wasn’t my day to run fast.”

Red Bank High School’s Claire Turner, 16, was the second female and 25th overall in 43:49. Susan Laughrey was the women’s masters winner, while Bill Warner and Mary Preisel took grandmasters honors. Warner, 55, was ninth overall in 39:06.

Cameron Bean of Soddy-Daisy, a Samford University cross country runner, won Saturday’s 5K in 15:24. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga runner Tara Gietma from Morristown was the fastest female in the 5K in 19:34, 10th overall.

Participants were greeted with an early-morning shower, which may have deterred a few from participating, said race director Rita Fanning.

“But actually the rain cooled it off,” Fanning said. “The numbers may be down a little bit, but for the runners it’s going to help because it’s cooler.”

The event also included a 5K walk and a 1-mile family fun run.

In his first competitive race, Xian Campbell, a 4-year-old from North Chattanooga, placed first in the 5K for the 8-under bracket, finishing the race in 46:23.

His parents said that kind of endurance is nothing unusual for Xian, who has already competed in duathlons and hiked 14 miles in the Grand Canyon.

“He’s starting early,” said Xian’s dad, Trey. “His mom and I are both big into running. He just falls into line with it.”

Sergio Bianchini, 67, of East Ridge joined his son, Marco, for the 10K race. The elder Bianchini placed first among 65-69 runners, his sixth victory in that division, and was 22nd overall.

“You have to keep a mental toughness,” Bianchini said. “It’s not easy.”

The event also served as a leg of the Chickamauga Battlefield Junior Marathon. Elementary school students ran a mile Saturday and ultimately will run or walk the distance of a real marathon. Participants will complete their final mile on Nov. 8.

“We had about 100 kids participating last year, and they loved it,” Fanning said.

E-mail Will Woodbery at sports@timesfreepress.com