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A creepy Halloween run through a graveyard

When running through a cemetery sends chills up your spine...

This month, I participated in my first Halloween race. My daughter, her friend Jocelyn, and I had signed up for the 5K Trek or Treat run and Creepy Mile held in Oakville, Ont. I didn’t know what to expect from my first experience at a Halloween-themed race but it sure didn’t disappoint.

We arrived at the route equipped with head lamps and flashlights. When the race started, we followed the course as it snaked through a forested trail taking us on a tour of a beautiful Oakville subdivision. As we distanced ourselves from the start line, we saw inflatable Halloween decorations and glowing jack-o-lanterns at each kilometre mark. There were candy stations throughout the trail bringing me back to the days of trick-or-treating. At the end, we were brought through a cemetery. 

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Of all of the races that my daughter has run so far, she said that this one was the most fun. The spooky atmosphere kept us on our toes through the duration of the race. We were half expecting characters dressed in creepy costumes to pop out and scare us as we rounded every corner. That didn’t happen but I picked up my pace at the thought of it.

There were groups of families, friends and young people dressed up to participate in this race. It struck me that this was such a wonderful, healthy and fun thing for young people to do on a Friday night in October. This race was capped at 500 participants and it was sold out. 

Towards the end of the race while we were running through the cemetery, the reflection of our headlamp lights on the shiny gravestones looked like spirits bouncing in a line. It sent chills up my spine and again reminded me of how fleeting life really is. 

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