Freaky fitness: Top Three Scary Runs

By: Sarah McWilliams

Halloween isn’t the only day you can experience the terror of creepy costumes. Why not celebrate all year round with a Spooky Road Race? Thanks to shows like the Walking Dead, road race and mud run organizers are taking a page from AMC’s book and incorporating Monsters and Zombies into their races. If you’re looking for a SPOOKtacular experience, check out our top three scary runs.    

1.    Run For Your Lives

As the self-proclaimed original zombie infested 5K obstacle race, Run for your Lives sends racers through blood pits, smokehouses and mazes. As if running through a blood pit isn’t scary enough, racers also have to dodge zombies created by professional makeup artists.

It’s not just a race to the finish. It’s a race to stay uninfected by the hoards of zombies. Participants wear “health flags” throughout the race and those who finish the race with at least one of their health flags not stolen by a zombie will be awarded a survivor medal while those infected will receive a medal labeling them as such.

If you are lucky enough to survive the race, there is an Apocalypse Party with, “music, games, zombie/people watching, dance parties, and much more.”

2.    The Zombie Run

Join in the fun of the zombie run as either a runner or a zombie.

Amp up the challenge by wearing balloons that zombies try to pop while heading through five 1-kilometer zones. While the mileage is wearing you down, the zombie population increases with the last kilometer having the most zombies you have to dodge.

This 5K is devoid of obstacles, aside from the zombies you’ll have to duck and hurdle along the way. And just like Run For Your Lives, there’s an after party to celebrate your survival. This after party boasts “Music from a local DJ, food trucks, zombie makeovers, photo ops, merchandise. And, where state law permits, beer.”

And the best part of all? It’s for a good cause. The Zombie Run tour benefits Active Heroes, a charity benefiting military families.

 3.    VNA Monster Mash 5K Obstacle Run

For a more family friendly event, look to the Visiting Nurse Associations annual Monster Mash 5K obstacle run. Don your best scary costume to race through the fairgrounds in San Bernardino, Calif., while being chased by monsters and zombies.

The race challenges runners with obstacles, tire hills, climbing walls, and tunnels. After the race families can participate in “spooky fun, a kid’s race, food court, and vendor booths.”