Racers have no fear: Zombies big attraction
CLAY TWP — In most cases, the sight of a zombie chasing after a runner on a race course would be downright weird.
But, not in the race run Saturday at the Switchback Raceway.
In the Run For Your Lives 5K, the zombies nearly were the main attraction for the 5,000 participants.
For George Kirk and Lexi Buchanan of Pittsburgh, the zombies were one of the big reasons to participate.
“We love zombies,” Buchanan said.
The race put runners out on a course with obstacles such as hills, fences and a large slide. It also featured volunteers dressed up as zombies to distract and chase runners. Nearly 800 people volunteered either as zombies or in other capacities.
This was one of 12 such races across the United States and Canada this year, organized by Derrick Smith and Ryan Hogan of Baltimore. The first such race was held in 2011 in Maryland.
Both Kirk and Buchanan run a good deal, but they found this race and its obstacles to be rather difficult.
“It was grueling,” Kirk said.
Buchanan agreed: “It was harder than I thought. I think it was harder than the half-marathon I was in.”
Stacey Deemer of Apollo, Armstrong County, said she was in the race because her friend wanted to do it and got a group together.
“Peer pressure,” Deemer said.
Runners were given three flags on a belt. The zombies were tasked with grabbing the flags. Racers who lost all three flags before the end were classified as “dead,” which happened to Deemer.“I died at the very end,” Deemer said.Nate Switzer of Pittsburgh also did not make it to the end with any flags.“Some punk ran up behind me at the end,” Switzer said.He enjoys running in other 5K events, but found that this one really stood out.“But, zombies are cool,” Switzer said. “It seemed like a cool event.”Mike Tablack of New Middletown, Ohio, ended up in the race because his family was looking for something to do over Labor Day weekend.“I didn't have a choice,” Tablack said. “I've never been a runner. I hate to run.”Despite this aversion to running, he has spent the last four months working on getting back into shape.“This is kind of the culmination of me getting in shape,” Tablack said.He found the race's obstacles to be difficult, and he lost all his flags. However, he said that he probably would do it again.Sierra Blackson of Champion, Ohio, was excited to run, much more so than her companion, Mike Ricci.“It sounded like fun. And I made him do it,” Blackson said.They did not find the obstacles to be difficult.“They weren't hard at all,” Ricci said.
Both of them survived the race. Blackson said the keys to survival were staying with a group, running fast to dodge the zombies and keeping the flags to the front of her body, helping to keep the zombies away from them.Not everyone at the event was there to run.Cheryl Silverio of Trafford came to support her granddaughter, husband and sister-in-law, all of whom were running. However, Silverio chose not to.“I don't like to get dirty,” Silverio said.She used to be a big runner, but she gave no thought to running in this event.“The hardest part of the day will be being in the car with a bunch of smelly, dirty people,” Silverio said.Traffic on Route 8 by the raceway was not very heavy. Most participants parked at the Big Butler Fairgrounds and arrived at the site by shuttle.The race ran from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and was followed by a party featuring area bands.
