MC hosts second annual Pumpkin Run

MC KINESIS sponsored the second annual Pumpkin Run on Saturday, Oct. 20, partnering with Maryville College’s “Exercise is Medicine on Campus” chapter. The goal of this program is to increase student involvement in physical activity by providing a variety of outlets for students to live an active lifestyle while finding enjoyment and satisfaction out of exercise.

During the Pumpkin Run’s inaugural year, the race featured a course that ran on pavement and utilized some of the trail system in the Maryville College Woods. Participants were also encouraged to dress in Halloween-themed apparel.

This year, the race was held a week earlier and offered two course options: a 5K trail run and a 2 mile fun run. This year’s event also had an increase in total participation despite wetter conditions and even had an altered course. This year participants could either run a 5K on the cross country team’s course or participate in a fun run that involved some trail with road elements as well. The race started and ended by Crawford House.

This event would not have been possible without outside help from the community. Lea Mulligan, Mountain Challenge fellow and MC KINESIS club member stated, “We had a lot of organizations, such as Little River Trading Company, donate and contribute to this event. It shows that the community is all in with living an active lifestyle.”

MC cross-country runner Mikala Wooten was one of the participants in this year’s race. As a runner who logs a significant number of miles on those trails, she commented, “The trail was muddy and slippery around the orchards and hills making the course more difficult than usual. We ran a lap of the men’s cross-country course and one lap of the women’s course and finished up the hill by the soccer field.”

Wooten also added that this particular 5K is unlike many other lower-competitive races, as most are held on the road. “Running a ‘cross country style course’ for a 5K is unique because it gives people an opportunity to experience running on different terrains that may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable”, Wooten said.

MC KINESIS partners with Maryville College’s “Exercise is Medicine On Campus” chapter, which hosts various activities throughout the year and also hosts circuit training, yoga, and more every week.