2 Virtual Halloween Fun Run

Fun runs, such as 5K walk/runs, are often part of community Halloween events. The temperature in late October is perfect nearly everywhere for people to get out and run the streets, many in costume! The fun, exercise and excitement of a 5K Halloween Fun Run can be partially recreated by creating a fun run that people participate in on their own time, rather than all together.

Here are some tips:

- Announce a Halloween Fun Run just like you would on a normal year, except explain that this year it will be done

individually rather than in a big crowd. Establish an online registration, create t-shirts, and promote the event just like you would any year.

- If your community normally holds a Halloween fun run on a particular route, encourage them to do the same thing this year except create three or four different routes for it, to limit the potential of participants crowding the route.

- Encourage participants to get into the Halloween spirit by running the route in costume and taking selfies at the finish line. Give special awards –maybe gift certificates to local businesses –for the best costume a participant wears. Make sure there are categories for children, seniors, etc. to spread the fun.

- Rather than hold the event at one specific time, set a two-week window in which participants can run one of the designated routes. Everyone with a smartphone –and that’s everyone! –can time him- or herself on the run. They can also take pictures and submit them to the website and/or Facebook page for the race.

- Once the two-week time period is over, promote all the runners by creating a collage of the submitted photos and handing out awards in a virtual ceremony. Invite everyone to log in to watch!