LANDINGVILLE — Around 200 runners from across Schuylkill County — some dressed in unusual Halloween costumes and contraptions — spent a crisp Saturday morning competing in the annual Spooky Schuylkill 5K on the Schuylkill River Trail.

Now in its 13th year, the 5K is a fundraiser for Schuylkill Connects (formerly Schuylkill County’s VISION), a nonprofit service provider that works with several organizations and government agencies to improve community relations and development.

Runners of all ages and skill levels raced on a scenic 3.1-mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail in the woods near Landingville’s Faith Reformed UCC.

Some ran the 5K wearing unconventional costumes that restricted their movement. Among them was Pamela Ulicny of Valley View, who challenged herself by wearing a thick, padded turtle outfit with a shell and a tail.

“It’s very restrictive,” said Ulicny, a cross-country coach at Tri-Valley High School. “You can’t get your full stride.”

Ulicny said she was there to boost morale and did not intend to run at her most competitive pace.

“I’m here to cheer everybody on. That’s my job,” she said. “As a coach, you just try to encourage other people, show people that you can go out and have a good time and do something for your health and your wellness. For me, it’s my greatest love. So it’s not always about coming in first. It’s about being here for the rest of the community.”

Mandy Fitzpatrick, executive director of Schuylkill Connects, said the race drew perhaps the largest turnout to date.

“It is getting bigger and bigger, and a lot of positive feedback,” she said. “People love the Halloween aspect of it. We enjoy the support.”

Schuylkill Connects is involved in many initiatives such as the Schuylkill County Youth Summit, Schuylkill Keep It Pretty and Healthy Schuylkill Communities, as well as programming to improve walkability in certain communities, Fitzpatrick said.

“We are an indirect service provider,” Fitzpatrick said. “We don’t work directly with people — we work more with organizations and government.”

Ulicny, a retired environmental science teacher, said she supports the nonprofit’s efforts, especially for conservation. She has worked with the Schuylkill County Conservancy and the Tri-Valley Watershed Association.

“I’m all about nature and anything that supports our local communities, anything that supports our land,” she said.

Ulicny was accompanied by one of her student athletes, Gabriel Julian, who came dressed as Harry Potter.

“I felt really good,” he said. “It was a really fun experience, seeing all the costumes.”

Another unusual costume featured Saturday was Oscar the Grouch from “Sesame Street,” worn by Matt Derr, of Delano. Derr ran the entire 5K wearing a makeshift trash can, which limited his upper body movement.

“It wasn’t too bad,” said Derr, an assistant cross-country coach at Mahanoy Area. “I couldn’t really move my arms in it and couldn’t really keep low, or I’d keep banging my knees into it.”