Louisburg Cider Run offers new features for annual race

By Andy Brown
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Updated: September 25, 2017

Its name is just one of the many changes to the annual Louisburg 5-kilometer race.

Formerly Blazin’ The Burg, the Louisburg Chamber of Commerce is introducing a new version of the event and a collaboration with two other area 5K races.

The Louisburg Cider Run, which gets underway at 5 p.m. on Oct. 7 in downtown Louisburg, features four different courses for group of all ages. It will offer the traditional 5K course, along with a kids fun run, a 10K course and a newly added relay.

The relay will be a mile course that will include teams of four runners or less.

All participants 21 and over will get a souvenir cup and one pour of hard cider after completion of their event. The event will also feature an after party with food, music and drinks.

“We have two fun new additions that I think will bring more people and more excitement to this year’s run,” Jenny O’Brien, one of the event organizers, said. “The first is the addition of the Mile Hard Cider Relay that consists of a team of 4, with each team member running a quarter-mile. With our new race name, Louisburg Cider Run, the Hard Cider Relay is perfect and offers everyone a chance to get involved because it’s a distance that is attainable for those who do not run or walk regularly to achieve. The team concept also makes this more achievable and something that folks can gather a group of friends and enter for fun.”

For those runners that want to make a weekend out of it, they will have the opportunity to compete in the Fermentation Series. Louisburg Cider Run is one of three 5K races that will be held in a two-day period.

The Fall Fermentation Series is three 5K runs in 24 hours on Oct. 7 and 8. The Series kicks off on Oct. 7 at 8 a.m. at the No One Fights Alone 5K at Night Hawk Winery in Paola, and continues that evening with the Louisburg Cider Run.

The series finishes with the Oktoberfest 5K on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 8 a.m. in Martin City, Mo. Each race will provide shirts and swag and finishers of all three events will receive a Fall Fermentation Series medal upon completion of the Series.

“The second addition that will draw more runners is that the Cider Run is part of a running series of 5Ks this year called the Fermentation Series,” O’Brien said. “KC Running Company is awarding a medal to each runner who completes the series of races.”

For those that are just interested in the Cider Run, there will be plenty to do before and after the race is complete.

KC Deeyas, Burnt Offering BBQ, Pita for Good, Smoothie Wave and Kona Ice will be on hand for refreshments. Standard Beverage Corporation and Angry Orchard Tap Trailer will also be at the event.

Pre-race entertainment will be put on by the group, Happy Faces. After race music will be put on by Turner Blues Experiment.

For those interested in signing up for the Louisburg Cider Run, please click here.

If you are interested in entering the Fermentation Series, you can click here.