On Wednesday, Oct. 30, the University of North Georgia’s new runners club will be hosting a “Spooktacular” Halloween 5k. This event will be from 5 – 7 p.m. on the Gainesville campus’ track.
The race will begin shortly after 5 p.m. and runners are encouraged to don their best Halloween costumes. Prizes will be awarded for not only the top three runners, but also for the best costume.
“We wanted to do something fun as our first official event,” said Sebastian Madera, President of the UNG runners club. Madera went on to say, “The best 5k’s I’ve participated in have always had a theme, so a costume run fit our ideas.”
The club’s ideations are to ensure that everyone has a good time.
“The race won’t be so much about pace, as it will be about having fun… our goal here is to make a good running community,” said Madera.
The race will start with a group lead warmup and end with a group stretch afterwards in order to limit as many injuries as possible.
“We want to encourage running as a fun way of getting physical activity,” said Madera. “But it’s also important to make sure you don’t injure yourself in the process.”
The event is set to begin on the track, but participants can expect a scenic route that winds straight through the trails behind campus.
Madera said, “A lot of 5k’s are on pavement, roads or sidewalks, so I think it will be a blast running on the trails with a costume on.”
Lily Dickson, a sophomore history major at UNG, is a member of the runners club. The club was the first place where she was able to find community on campus.
“The thing everyone has in common is a really kind, supportive attitude. I’m so glad we have such an active club on campus.” – Lily Dickson, sophomore history major
Runners and spectators alike are encouraged to participate and join the festivities.
“We want everyone to run, no matter the age, experience or background,” Madera said. “I ran with some really fun teams when I ran cross country, and once you find a group that matches your pace, it really is a game changer in what it does to your mentality.”
Sign ups are available on UNG Connect, but will also be available at the event.
