Run For Your Lives, 5k

The past couple years my sister has really gotten into running, and not just for enjoyment but in races. (I have to brag, big sister rights, she completed her first half marathon this past Spring.) She asked if I'd like to run with her, my response "If it's fun, I'll run." She found one right up my alley, so I couldn't pass it up! (I'm a sucker for Zombies!)

We ran in the 2013 Maryland Run For Your Lives , Zombie Apocalypse 5k Obstacle Course Race.

The race was set up with waves starting every 30 minutes, each wave maxed out at 500 runners. Our heat was at 10am and it was full, not all heats were sold out, so we were lucky (more runners = more humans for the undead to attack). Parking was about a mile away, they had shuttle buses to the start/finish line. This is also where check-in, vendors, and entertainment were located. They recommended arriving 2-hours prior, we arrived about an hour fifteen early and had plenty time. They also had a place available for camping, for the diehard racers. We were given a belt with three flags (similar to flag football). The goal of the race is to "survive" the Zombie Apocalypse, therefore to finish with at least one flag. The Zombies on the course try to take your flags while you're running. Everyone lined up at the start line; they didn't have it very well marked for the different groups based on race speed -Appetizer, Main Course, and Dessert. So, I'm not sure where we ended up.

The very first obstacle was to run through a muddy pit, and then immediately following was another muddy water pit, about four feet deep, with logs to jump, roll, or climb over. Wet and muddy within the first minute! I LOVED it! The rest of the course had a section where we sprinted to dodge the Zombies, these sections included curved dirt paths, consecutive hills to run up and down, and woodland trails - complete with natural erosion and tree roots.

Some of the obstacles included a "house of fog", which we belly crawled through, keeping our head down, there were live wires of varying length hanging from the ceiling. Rolling over huge hay bales, climbing over consecutive walls, crawling through huge irrigation tubes filled with muddy water, weaving through barricades, and climbing up a series of monster truck tires only to plunge down into 4 ½ ft deep water.

Our strategy -- we found it easier to get through the hordes of Zombies in large groups, so we formed alliances with other runners. But alas, we became infected! We didn’t “survive” the Zombie Apocalypse. All in all, it was a thrilling and amazing adventure – I will gladly do it again!

-Live Simple, Be Happy-

Magnolia Holler