Loris Bog-Off welcomes a 5K to this year's festival

The 42nd annual Loris Bog-Off is bringing back an event that will surely get runners across the western part of Horry County on their feet.

The Loris Bog-Off 5K will be held the morning of the yearly festival at the football field at Loris High School.

“It was really kind of a win-win for us,” said Paul McCulloch, director of Horry County Parks and Recreation. “We’re filling in one of our voids that we were trying to fill and it also filled something that the Bog-Off wanted to reintroduce with the 5K.”

Horry County Parks and Recreation is hosting the 5K and it’s sponsored by Maria-Elias Williams, PA.

In years past, the Bog-Off had the “Chicken Run,” which went through downtown Loris. With this year’s event, the course will be a bit different.

“We’re able to go around the football field, baseball field, through the parking lot of the high school and then we get on Loris Lions Drive,” McCulloch said.

The only road that will be impacted for the race is Loris Lions Drive.

“There’s no houses down there so we shouldn’t have a problem with people cutting through,” McCulloch said.

With the amount of turns that are on the charted course, McCulloch said this race won’t be as fast as other races but runners should be able to finish with decent times.

“This isn’t going to be one you’re going to break your record on,” McCulloch said. “But it’s a good one you can walk it. We’ll get a lot of baby strollers, a few dogs.”

There will be a water station set up at the halfway mark of the 5K, McCulloch said, and mile markers placed throughout the course so runners can keep track of their pace during the race.

The cost of registration is $25.

“That’s pretty cheap when it comes to 5Ks, so expect a good turnout,” McCulloch said. “We’re shooting for 200. If we can get between 150 and 200 for a first-time event, I would see that as a success.”

Those who want to sign up can visit the Horry County Parks and Recreation website, click on the Race Series link and find the Loris Bog-Off 5K race sign-up link. Participants may pick up their packets at the Loris Chamber of Commerce from 3-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15. Late registrations and pick-ups will start at 7 a.m. the following day at 311 Heritage Rd. in Loris.

All participants who complete the 5K will receive a custom finishers medal, according to the race website. Awards are scheduled for 9:15 a.m. T-shirts with the race’s logo will be given out to participants.