Conkrete Society: Annual SC “Freedom Run”

🎄✨ HO HO HO and Welcome to the TACKIEST 5K of the Year! ✨🎄

Straight from the North Pole (okay, maybe more like South Carolina), it’s your jolly friend Christmas here, and I’m inviting YOU to jingle all the way through the woods at the Tacky Sweater 5K! 🎅🧣🎽 This isn’t just any run—it’s a full-blown festive fashion disaster parade on the move! Whether the forecast calls for snowflakes ❄️ or sweat beads 💦, nothing stops a South Carolina runner in a sweater covered in tinsel, blinking lights, and pure holiday joy! 🌟

🦌 Tacky Day Details:

🎄 WHEN: Race kicks off at 10:00am sharp (don’t be late—Santa's watching!)

🎁 WHERE: Lakewood Nature Preserve – 220 Lakewood Dr., Greenville, SC

🎁 PACKET PICKUP: Begins one hour before the run (plenty of time to fluff your sweater pom-poms!)

Get ready for 2 festive loops (1.5 miles each) through the wild & whimsical woods of Lakewood! The trails are wide, grassy, and sprinkled with just enough hills to jingle your bells 🎶. Keep your eyes peeled for curious critters who might just mistake your outfit for a holiday decoration gone rogue! 🐿️🦃🦌

• COURSE MAP HERE

🎉 TACKY SWEATER CONTEST 🎉

This is where the magic ✨ (and the mayhem) happens!

🎅 CASH PRIZES for the most spectacularly ridiculous sweaters:

TEAM AND SOLO COMPETITION

🥇 1st – $50

🥈 2nd – $25

🥉 3rd – $10

👕 Rules of the Reindeer Runway:

Sweaters MUST be worn the entire race (not tied around your waist like a last-minute elf escape).

🎨 Creativity – The wilder, the better (lights? ornaments? 3D candy canes? YES.)

🎄 Theme – Bonus for holiday or running-inspired looks!

🧶 DIY Vibes – Homemade disasters get extra love.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 All ages & styles welcome—kids, grownups, even your festive four-legged friends! 🐶

🧑‍🎄 Best Group Sweater – Grab your crew, match your holiday chaos, and shine together!

📸 Photo Finish Required – Strike a pose at the "Tacky Sweater Finish Line" (go ahead, throw in some jazz hands!).

🎤 Judging Tent Fun – Head there post-race to show off your style and collect your prizes!

🙌 Spectator Votes Count! Loud cheers, claps, and votes at the post-race party help crown the People’s Choice!

🌲 After the Race:

Kick back by the barn, soak up the holly-jolly vibes, and sip on holiday cheer (BYOB-style! 🧃🎅). Enjoy festive tunes, fun photo ops, and all the cozy feels as we celebrate the season together. So grab your most horrendous holiday sweater (the itchier, the better), lace up those jingle-joggers, and run wild through the woods in full festive fashion. 🎄💨 This is one holiday event you’ll remember fa-la-la-long after the season’s gone!

🌕 Ahem... Hello, dear runners. It is I—your guiding glow, your silent cheerleader through the darkness—the Moon. 🌌✨ Allow me to personally invite you to one of my favorite nights of the year: The Longest Night Trail & Ultra Run at Lakewood Nature Preserve. Trust me, I’ll be watching every step. 🌙👣

As I rise over the trees and cast my silver light across the prairie, you'll embark on an overnight running adventure like no other—starting at sunset and continuing ‘til the first golden whisper of dawn. 🌄 From the cozy charm of an old barn nestled in the preserve, you’ll set out on a 1.5-mile loop through wide grassy trails under my watchful eye. Whether you're a seasoned ultrarunner or just testing your night legs, this is your time to shine.

Every loop you run, you’re racing both the clock and the stars. ⏳✨ You’ll have 25 minutes to complete each loop—plenty of time to push your pace, then cozy up by the fire with fellow moonlit wanderers while I float above. 🔥🐺🦉As you run, listen for the whisper of wings, the rustle of deer, and maybe even the soft crunch of fox paws. You’re not just racing—you’re part of the nighttime wilderness now. And I promise, it’s magical. And when your legs are tired and your heart full, you’ll gather beneath my setting light and the rising sun to celebrate the wild, quiet journey you just completed.

🌙 Event Details

🕕 When: All races begin at 6:00pm (just as I rise!)

📍 Where: Lakewood Nature Preserve – 220 Lakewood Dr. Greenville, SC

🎽 Packet Pickup: Begins at 4:30pm inside the barn

⏱️ALL RUNNERS MUST ADHERE TO THE TIME SCHEDULE BELOW, Completing Laps under 25 Minutes

🌙 Choose Your Nightly Journey

🏃 50 Miles – 34 Laps

🏃 50K – 21 Laps

🏃 Marathon – 18 Laps

🏃 Half Marathon – 9 Laps

🏃 10K – 4 Laps

🌙 What to Expect:

1.5 mile loop on wide grassy paths

Rolling hills, perfect for moonlit pacing

Free parking and ample space for tents or a cozy setup inside the barn

Fireside warmth, good company, and maybe a howling chorus 🎶

🌲Course

The course extends 1.5 miles from our central barn, which serves as the hub for the start/finish line, the runners’ aid station, and the personal setup area.

• Course Map HERE

🌙 Aid Station:

🍲 Hot soup & broth (Veggie)

🥨 Pickles, chips, candy, fig newtons

🥤 Water, Coke, ginger ale, Wildly Charged Hydration

🚫 Cup-less event! Please bring your own hydration vessel.

🌙 Personal Set Up:

There is ample space in and around the barn for your personal setup. If you and your crew are coming, we’ll have room around the barn and along the course for larger base camp setups. Bring your tent, your friends, your firewood, and your sense of adventure. Just remember: pack it in, pack it out so we leave this preserve more beautiful than we found it. So lace up, brave soul. Let’s run through the dark together. I’ll be there, shining above—your finish line beacon in the longest night. 🌕💫

Site & Setup Guidelines

• Fire pits: Must be off the ground or set on a protective ground barrier.

• Tents: All tents must be properly staked in and secured.

• Setup time: On-site setup will begin at 3:00 PM.

• Parking by the barn: If you are running a half marathon distance or less, please do not park by the barn. Those spaces are reserved for runners attempting longer distances.

Parking & Setup

With 350+ runners in attendance, our space (parking and setup) is limited, but we can accommodate everyone if we all make smart preparations this week and follow directions on race day.

Setup Time

• The preserve opens at 3:00 PM for SETUP.

Parking Plan

• Barn parking (150 spots): First come, first served.

• Field lot (adjacent to barn): Once barn parking fills, park here next.

• Road parking: After the field lot is full, participants may park along the road leading into the preserve.

• 🚨 IMPORTANT: ROAD PARKING RULE

• ✅ Park on the RIGHT side of the road ONLY.

• ❌ Any car parked on the LEFT side WILL BE TOWED.

Base Camp Rules

• ✅ Tents, tables, and portable firepits / propane fires are permitted.

• Please be mindful of the space you use so everyone has room to set up.

• Pack In, Pack Out: Do not leave trash on site and do not leave it by the barn for me to handle. That’s not our job.

• No Utilities - This nature preserve has NO POWER and NO WATER.

Register now... before the sun rises.

Race Timing, Registration, & Event Support Services

Whether you're planning your first 5K or organizing a large-scale ultra or XC meet, Upstate Race Series offers full-service race solutions across the Southeast to help your event run smoothly from start to finish.

Core Services

We support race directors, schools, nonprofits, and community groups

• Chip Timing & Results – Road, Trail, XC, Ultra

• Registration Management – RunSignUp setup & support

• Event Consulting – Logistics, permits, course design

• Marketing & Promotion – Social, email, and club outreach

• Race Essentials – Custom bibs, awards, shirts, signage

🖥️ Registration Support – Powered by RunSignUp

As a certified RunSignUp contractor, we offer hands-on assistance for all registration needs:

Event page setup & pricing

• Bib assignment, wave starts, and add-ons

• Participant transfers, refunds, and deferrals

• Custom emails, payout reports, and fundraising tools

• Store integration for merchandise sales

• Live check-in & results through RaceDay apps

⏱️ Race Timing Packages

All packages include:

• Chip Timing

• Bibs + Safety Pins

• Finish Line Arch + Chute Setup

• Race Clock

• Instant Results (Live and Online)

Road & Trail Races (5K – Ultra)

• $500 Base Setup + $2.50 per participant

• ($.50 Discount Per Runner Fee on races larger than 300+)

• Includes 3 hours of onsite timing

• Additional timing: $60/hour

Middle & High School Cross Country Meets

• $500 Base Setup + $1.00 per athlete

• ($.50 Discount Per Runner Fee on races larger than 300+)

• Includes 3 hours of onsite timing

• Additional timing: $60/hour

Add-On Services

Optional upgrades to enhance your race experience: Contact for Quote

• Website/Registration Design

• Music / DJ / Announcer Services

• Equipment Rental - Barricades, Traffic Cones, Crowd Control

• Awards & Age Group Medals (Hickory Handcrafted)

• Custom Bibs (via Emedia)

• Event Insurance (via IMG)

• Porta-John Rentals (via Royal Flush)

• Vendor Coordination (Food, Retail, Wellness)

• Logo Design, Stickers, Branding, and more

Marketing & Promotion

As part of our partnership, your race gets exposure to 10,000+ local runners:

• Club newsletter (1,500+ members)

• Facebook & Instagram features

• Event listing on UpstateRaceSeries.com (30K monthly views)

• Inclusion in Upstate Running Club race calendar

• Optional discount program to boost participation

Why Work With Us?

• 50+ years of combined race directing and timing experience

• Reliable, professional, and community-focused

• Personalized support from planning through race day

• Trusted by over 100 events annually across SC, NC, GA

Let’s Get Started

📧 Email: [email protected]

📞 Call or Text: 864-867-2569

🌐 Website: www.UpstateRaceSeries.com

We’re here to help make your event successful, memorable, and easy to manage—so you can focus on your cause, your course, and your community.

Appendix A: Race Director Resource Guide – Top 25 Checklist

Use this guide to plan a smooth, successful event. Services marked with an asterisk (★) are areas where Upstate Race Series can provide direct support.

Planning & Permits

• Define Race Format & Goals – Distance, audience, theme, charity focus

• Secure Venue & Date – Check with local parks, cities, and venues for availability

• Obtain Permits & Insurance – Apply early for road closures, police, or land use

• Design the Course – Measure distance, identify hazards, and plan aid stations

• Develop a Budget – Account for permits, insurance, shirts, awards, timing, etc.

Registration & Setup

• Set Up Online Registration – Custom page on RunSignUp, pricing tiers, caps

• Add-on Store Items – Shirts, merch, post-race meals, or donation options

• Enable Participant Tools – Bib assignment, transfers, deferrals, and refund policies

• Configure Email Tools – Customize confirmation messages and reminders

• Monitor Signups & Engagement – Adjust marketing strategy as needed

Marketing & Promotion

• Create a Promo Plan – Social media, flyers, digital ads, referral incentives

• List Event on Local Calendars – Running stores, news outlets, community boards

• Send Email Campaigns – Announcements, discount codes, reminders

• Engage with Running Clubs – Offer club discounts (URC, etc.) for added exposure

• Promote via Upstate Race Series – Social posts, newsletters, website listing

Timing & Race Day Logistics

• Secure Timing Services – RFID chip timing, race clock, finish chute setup

• Order Race Bibs & Safety Pins – With or without custom branding

• Coordinate Packet Pickup – RaceDay CheckIn App and staffing plan

• Plan Start/Finish Line Setup – Arch, signage, cones, banners

• Print Signage & Maps – Course arrows, water station signs, mile markers

Swag, Awards, & Amenities

• Order Shirts – Work with a trusted vendor, set sizes by registration deadlines

• Plan Awards & Medals – Overall and age group, custom or stock options

• Coordinate Porta-Johns – Reserve based on number of participants

• Plan for Water & Aid Stations – Tables, coolers, volunteers, trash bags

• Recruit Volunteers & Staff – Assign roles for setup, aid stations, finish line

Bonus Notes:

• Create a master timeline 8–12 weeks out

• Build templates for repeat events

• Add race photos and video for future marketing

• Post-race survey or recap email for feedback