There’s no shortage of fall fun to be had this time of year. Since 2022, Greenlawn Cemetery in Portsmouth has been the site of the Tombstone Trot 5K. As they have done for the past two years, racers will meet this year in Greenlawn Cemetery on the Sunday before Halloween. Participants will run for three miles throughout the graveyard and into nearby Mound Park, circle back and finish right where they began at the west gate of the cemetery.
The event is organized by the Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery Foundation (FOGCF), a charity organization whose goal is to preserve and restore the historic Greenlawn Cemetery. Sarah Appleton, a volunteer with FOGCF and self-proclaimed unofficial director of the Tombstone Trot, is looking forward to the upcoming race. She emphasized that this 5K is great for beginners and experienced runners of all ages.
The foundation’s creative method to instill the Halloween spirit in athletes is simple: Costumes are both allowed and encouraged by event organizers, with the exception of scary outfits; their event page specifies that it is family-friendly with “just fun, no frights!”
In addition to the 5K, a free kids’ fun run will be held at 2 p.m. for children too young to complete the full three-mile race. Young racers will run around the Soldier Circle monument as parents and older racers cheer them on. Upon completion of the race, prizes will be awarded to the overall winners in the male and female categories, as well as the top three placements in each age group.
All entrants should be prepared for terrain of flat pavement, uneven brick and grass. Prospective participants apply on the TriStateRacer website or wait until the day of the event to sign up in person at noon. Entry fees are $30 when paid before Oct. 26 and $35 on the day of the race.
The Tombstone Trot will be held at Greenlawn Cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 27, following the kids’ fun run. All proceeds go to the Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery Foundation.
