run for your lives

[fist of doom]

In a moment of self loathing i signed up for runforyourlives.com -5k obstacle course with zombies. top scientists have discovered that gravity has a stronger hold on me than on regular folks making me a slow runner and an even worse jumper. I’ve got a lot of experience with preparing and competing in wrestling & grappling tournaments, long haul bike tours, mtn bike races but I’ve never done anything close to this, so I’m pretty clueless on what to expect in terms of the actual race, preparation, diet, gear. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

In addition to grappling and/or mtn biking daily, I’ve started running 1.5 miles of stairs with some sprints mixed in, box jumps and skippin rope. what else should I get workin on to be prepared?

[runrevolt]

Sorry to be the cynic here, but this new trend of 5k "runs" with obstacles is really pretty ridiculous. Granted, the zombie themed versions look like fun as it becomes more of a game to keep your flags (like in flag football), but I don't think any sort of "training" is going to aid you in a successful race. I mean, if you are active as it is, then just keep doing that. Now, if you're a couch potato, which I highly doubt, then you might want to at least get moving, but other than that I think these races are more comparable to a game of futbol (or football) amongst friends. Have fun though!

[fist of doom]

i feel the same way about hipster black metal and cartoonish tattoos of food.
regardless, despite enjoying suffering to an extent, I’d like to avoid distractions if possible so I can focus on beating my brother across the finish line. A friend of mine who does adventure races was advising me to purchase compression shorts/socks and get running shoes. Was that malarkey?

[JP]

A friend of mine who does adventure races was advising me to purchase compression shorts/

at least you would look cool, and your ass would look great!

looks like tons of fun i think

[Konstantin]

Sounds like you're doing good preparation, as a big person you're going to be slower but you're also active and have some endurance in your legs so I can't foresee any problems.

In my experience compression shorts are essential for longer distance or else the constant rub of skin on skin turns your thighs into a horrible rash. For shorter distances like this a good supportive pair of underpants should sort 'the other matter'.

I haven't seen events like this around my area and would enter definitely. Send us some photos!

[daf]

dunno about ridiculous, looks pretty cool to me. if you wanna run a race without zombies at any distance, there are plenty around. anything that gets people off their arses and outdoors is good for me (with the obvious exceptions of shooting/hunting things etc)

having checked the website, i'd be well up for it if the zombies finished taking over the US and moved across the Atlantic. maybe they already have...

good luck mate, and i hope you escape their clutches, or at least enjoy your transformation in the bar afterwards.

[Gastroplodder]

That looks like fun to me, he looked a bit out numbered though. Guess he didn't win.

If Zombie Race comes to Oxford think I'll volunteer to marshall - I guess it's ok to maul and bite so long as I don't actually consume any runners right?

[skoptic]

That's both hilariously gimmicky and looks like brilliant fun at the same time (anything is better with zombies involved.. er.... apart from sex)

Have a brilliant race, but I think you would need to buy shorts and shoes for the training more than the race - so if you are training a fair bit or carrying on afterwards, go for it. If not it looks like you should be running in regular casual clothes like the vid

[sheilaxVx]

fist of doom- which location are you running at? I'll be doing run for your lives boston.

I hate running, but I thought if I motivated myself through the threat of zombie apocalypse i'd be ok.
Let me know what you're doing to train- I'm just adding actually running- not my half assery i usually try to get away with.

[ElaineV]

From the FAQ:

Can I skip an obstacle?
Yes, but you will be devoured by zombies. If you are unable to complete an obstacle, it is your responsibility to notify an official. You may choose to continue the course, but you will not be eligible for awards, and will be listed as "zombie" on the final event posting.

hahaha

[fist of doom]

it was a blast, albeit horribly disorganized and painfully expensive. one got the distinct impression that the whole thing was dreamed up and organized by slack jawed potheads. no action pics -they cost too much. me, my brother, 2 cousins, and 2 firends did it and 4/6 of us survived. It was one of the funnest things that I’ve done in years and I was glad to be able to compete with family and extended family at my side.

i trained (if you could call it that) for 22 days. added approx 1.5 miles of running stairs/hills daily w sprints mixed in on top of my normal routine of grappling, XC & DH riding. also ate a little cleaner and drank more liquor instead of beer. the course was not as difficult as i'd anticipated, but then again i had anticipated some pretty brutal sh!t.

valuable knowledge:
you are not permitted to bring food in and there are no vegan options other than expensive soggy fries. smuggle in food. and a lawnchair and blanket.
there was no place where spectators could watch.
get there early. you will be required to wait in many, many lines.
if you forget your ID like my moron brother did, you will need your friends and family to steal a pass, flags, shirts, etc and assit you in jumping the fence to get in.
the night prior try to carboload with a 30 pack of Bush & a bottle of Tully. it def makes you run faster.
it's better to sign up for an early wave as the course gets pretty trashed.
there are fast and slow zombies. plus some sneaky ones. put your flags in front of your crotch, not on your ass
in my opinion, the obstacles were kinda lame and really easy. except for the water crossing, which was brutal and really sucked.
survivors get the exact same medal as those who got killed by the zombies which is total BS for those of us who want to mock our friends who were fat, frail, weak, slow and died.
unless you want to get changed in a filthy porta john afterwards, there is no place to change out of your soaking wet gear so be prepared to get naked in front of thousands of strangers.
stand by the finish line and use wit, guile or charm to get people to give you their beer tickets. this is better than buying $4 pbr drafts.
the music will be abysmally bad and have nothing to do w zombies.
in Baltimore, they shut the course down at approx 5p and many people did not get to run.
the waves do not start on time. you pretty much run when you're ready to run.

[sheilaxVx]

I registered for the Boston race- so thanks for the follow-up advice. I've been on an 8 week training schedule (I'm only on week 3..) for a 5k- which maybe you only needed the 22 days- but I'm in pretty shit shape. I refuse to get turned into a zombie. So any advice is pretty crucial (and I'm definitely smuggling in extra food now that I know in advance).

Did you camp at the location? If so, was it worth the expense?

Oh, and if you decide to do the boston one, you're welcome to my beer tickets.

[jmiller]

Some friends and I are hoping to do the run in Boston on May 5, 2012 but I see there is a Pittsburgh Race, too, in 2012. Kind of a haul to get to Boston but we're coming from PA, NY and ME so it's kind of a happy medium. Some of us have done Warrior Dash and it's simply tons of fun. Yes there are awards for top finishers but I think in general, most do the race to say they have. I saw all sorts of fitness levels on the field and an overwhelming feeling of comradery betwixt us all. I could see how some might think these races silly and pointless but most do donate part of the proceeds to a charitable cause. (Run for Your Lives = American Red Cross)

I will say for most of these races, it seems imperative that you train hills, at least if you are running any in Northeast US, as ski resorts seem to be the locations of choice. Burpees, push ups, etc. at random times during your run will further your strength for the obstacles, too.

[fist of doom]

we didn't camp as it seemed like a rip off -not allowed to bring in food, beverages, it costs more and not allowed to have camp fires. the "decontamination area" was a water truck.

incorporating steps/hills into your training is prolly a good idea as there was a fair amount of uphills. the pace of the run isn't as quick as i'd anticipated due to the number of runners that bunch up in front of obstacles. to beat zombies you just have to wait for them to attack others, then dodge em. wear your flags in the front and run like a running back and subtly tomahawk their arms when they go for the flags

[jmiller]

it was a blast, albeit horribly disorganized and painfully expensive. one got the distinct impression that the whole thing was dreamed up and organized by slack jawed potheads. no action pics -they cost too much. me, my brother, 2 cousins, and 2 firends did it and 4/6 of us survived. It was one of the funnest things that I’ve done in years and I was glad to be able to compete with family and extended family at my side.

i trained (if you could call it that) for 22 days. added approx 1.5 miles of running stairs/hills daily w sprints mixed in on top of my normal routine of grappling, XC & DH riding. also ate a little cleaner and drank more liquor instead of beer. the course was not as difficult as i'd anticipated, but then again i had anticipated some pretty brutal sh!t.

valuable knowledge:
you are not permitted to bring food in and there are no vegan options other than expensive soggy fries. smuggle in food. and a lawnchair and blanket.
there was no place where spectators could watch.
get there early. you will be required to wait in many, many lines.
if you forget your ID like my moron brother did, you will need your friends and family to steal a pass, flags, shirts, etc and assit you in jumping the fence to get in.
the night prior try to carboload with a 30 pack of Bush & a bottle of Tully. it def makes you run faster.
it's better to sign up for an early wave as the course gets pretty trashed.
there are fast and slow zombies. plus some sneaky ones. put your flags in front of your crotch, not on your ass
in my opinion, the obstacles were kinda lame and really easy. except for the water crossing, which was brutal and really sucked.
survivors get the exact same medal as those who got killed by the zombies which is total BS for those of us who want to mock our friends who were fat, frail, weak, slow and died.
unless you want to get changed in a filthy porta john afterwards, there is no place to change out of your soaking wet gear so be prepared to get naked in front of thousands of strangers.
stand by the finish line and use wit, guile or charm to get people to give you their beer tickets. this is better than buying $4 pbr drafts.
the music will be abysmally bad and have nothing to do w zombies.
in Baltimore, they shut the course down at approx 5p and many people did not get to run.
the waves do not start on time. you pretty much run when you're ready to run.

LOL wow sounds like there were some pretty unpleasant happenings this year. But this was their first race and, post-race, it sounded like they were trying to make amends with those who got shafted for whatever reason. The Warrior Dash was pretty well organized, waves started on time, etc. Sorry you had such a poor experience. Don't let it stop you though! Keep running!