Newly located at the Endicott Estate, the looping 10K race through Dedham Square and Upper Dedham has fewer hills this year and a mile-long flat straightaway down East Street to the finish line.

The 6.2 mile course winds along High, Highland and Lowder streets, down High Street through the Noble and Greenough School campus and back down Pine and Ames streets toward the beginning. Actors will read passages from James Joyce novels along the way.

This should render moot the standing course records of 29 minutes and 20 seconds for men, Andy Ronan in 1989, and 33 minutes and 10 seconds for women, Pauline Konga last year.

Seven professional runners from Kenya have already approximated or surpassed these times.

Twenty-two-year-old Gabriel Muchiri ran a 10K race in 27:40. Thomas Omwenga set a new course record of 59:10 for a 20K race in Newark. Paul Mwange won the Queens, New York half marathon this year.

Naomi Wangui placed fifth with 32:29 at the Asalea Trail Run in California.

Valerie Vaughan, an English teacher from Limerick, Ireland clocked 32:37 for a 10K in Europe, three years ago.

" They will probably establish times that will be hard to challenge, " Hanley said this week.

The Ramble web site http://www.ramble.org/highlights cash prizes of $1,000, $800 and $500 for the open division and $500, $400 and $300 for the masters division.

Twenty regional New England clubs will compete against each other as part of the USA Track and Field 10K Championship. Two thousand runners signed up so far. Massachusetts Highway Department workers put up signs on Rte. 128 directing participants and spectators to park on Rustcraft Road.

The Ramble will start at 11 a.m. Sunday preceded by the quarter-mile North Star Children’s Ramble at 9:30 a.m. Youth Commission director Tom Clinton is the race director. After the Ramble’s start, the Janice Stanley Take-A-Walk will extend over a three-and-a-half mile distance.

Norwood auto dealer Ernie Bach is the Ramble’s main sponsor this year. Dedham’s Mystic Scenic Studio built new platforms for the Joycean readers.

Runners should register at the Dedham Mall Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.