Zombie Invasion

So there was a small zombie invasion last weekend in N. Ill.  Maybe you heard it on the news? No? The same park district that hosts the kayak race every year also has a zombie 5K obstacle race.  It was something fun and silly.  It's kind of crazy really.  I'd never done anything like that before and really had no idea what to expect.

I expected it to be cool, so I over dressed and couldn't take off one layer.  Not in an appropriate manner anyway.  I expected the obstacles to be more physically demanding than they were.  I don't know what I expected about the zombie part but they hid in the weeds and grass and jumped out at us.  They sprayed us with water guns.  They were laying in the path, they were standing in the path and you had to run around them.  All the while, wearing a belt with three flags (think flag football) and the object was to make it to the finish line with at least one flag.  I didn't so I was doomed to eternity as a zombie.  The zombies looked good and the acting was great.  I was really surprised about that.  You could tell some of the zombies were having a great time too. 

We got in the first heat, we thought that was a good idea so we could finish before the sun started to set.  We knew we were going to get wet, we were trying to avoid getting cold too.  The zombies were a little eager right at the beginning and two us lost two flags right away.  Really, there was no getting away from them either because we were still caught up in the mob off the starting line.  Towards the end we had to cross a creek so that meant the last mile(ish) was in wet shoes.  That was gross then at the finish line you slid down a hill, a makeshift slip and slid, into the orange barrier that served as the finish line.  If you hadn't gotten wet and muddy before that, you definitely finished wet!

One observation:  two different times in open areas with a zombie ahead of me people ran right up against me, touching me so that when we went past the zombie they could get around and sacrifice me because I was in the middle then.  I get it, it's a competition.  But really, is it so serious that you feel like it's appropriate to run into and shove a total stranger?  I heard there were 200 racers, I guess there is always that one person in every group, two in this case.  I wasn't expecting that but I know now so next year the outcome will be different in that situation.

It was all in the name of fun and fun it was!  The results had 35 people so I guess of the 200 or so racers 35 finished with a flag.  We had a few drinks and dinner after and I crawled into bed exhausted and sore.  I went for a bike ride Sunday to get some half century prep miles in.  The weather has been G R E A T up here!!