Flatwoods 5K combines trail run, costumes at UF's Austin Cary Forest

The annual Flatwoods 5K will return to Austin Cary Forest on Halloween morning, with hundreds of runners expected on the trails. The race starts at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 31 at the 2,632-acre teaching and research forest northeast of Gainesville, a University of Florida facility that is typically closed to the public. Runners are encouraged to dress as forest creatures, and there will be an award for the best “forest critter” costume. Proceeds support forestry education and outreach programs. The 5K course is measured but not USATF certified, uses chip timing, includes mile markers and a water stop halfway, and finishes by 11 a.m. Registration costs $20, with free entry for ages 12 and under. Early packet pickup runs Oct. 30 at First Magnitude Brewing Co.; race-day pickup is available from 7 to 8:15 a.m.