Yesterday I did the Zombie 5k on Fort Gordon! I did this race last year, and it was my first "official" 5k ever - but I don't really count it as my first real race (I'll explain why in a minute) Last year I ran this race at the beginning of my weight loss quest. I weighed somewhere around 190 lbs. Here's me from last year's race... not really sure why I'm in front of the bathrooms, but there ya go
This is me before running yesterday's race, almost exactly one year later
It's amazing what a difference 35 lbs will make
This is a different kind of race. It's on some pretty sandy and hilly trails through the woods. Obviously there are zombies who chase you. You're given 3 flags on a belt (like flag football) and if you lose all 3 you die. One zombie can only take one flag, so it's not like you can lose all 3 at the same time. But it's pretty hard. Last year hardly anyone survived. I was signed up for the 4th wave of this year's race, and at the starting line they had told us that only 1 person had survived so far. And my wave was only 10 people. Yeah, we're gonna die...lol.
So I started the race at the front with a couple that looked pretty fit and fast. I never saw the people who were behind me. It was pretty much just me and this couple, and eventually we met up with another guy who was waiting for people to team up with. Basically if you're by yourself you die. This race is not about time - it's about survival. Because even if you're fast and finish first it doesn't count unless you have at least 1 flag left. The whole race was pretty much sprinting when there were zombies and then walking or maybe light jogging the rest of the way. Some of the zombies didn't really try to get you, but others were fast and relentless. Mainly the 20-something's Army guys. I lost 1 flag early to a really fast one. About midway through the course we saw some zombies ahead, and a guy off to the far far right just standing there. He was really far away and didn't look like he was going to make an attempt to get us. He waved at me. I waved back. Then the zombies ahead of us came and we were running. All of a sudden, *fwoop!* The waving zombie had snuck up on my left side and grabbed my flag. That was one hell of a sneaky zombie, I didn't even hear him coming! And I realized I really made myself a target by waving at him. Oh well. Flag #2 was lost. Not long after we entered this area
(This photo was taken by Fort Gordon Boss)
This was the start of what would be a never ending huge field of zombies. Somehow I made it through here with my last flag but I had to go way off the course into the grass. I felt like I was sprinting full speed for 1-2 minutes, which I'm not really used to doing these days. Not long after the huge zombie field I lost my third flag. The zombie was on my left side and the flag was on my right, but somehow even after dodging out of the way he was able to grab it. He had a super arm or something. So from this point on I acted as bait for the rest of my group so they could survive. It was semi effective but after hordes of really fast and relentless zombies the others ended up losing their flags too. Then towards the end of the race some volunteers rode by us on an ATV and tosses us some flags. I guess they felt bad because nobody was surviving! But we made it past the last few zombies and approached the finish line
I sort-of survived! I got a medal!
2nd place for females 20-29 :)
I think I finished around 40 minutes, not a good time by any means but I was going at the pace of my survival group
Once again I had a great time doing this race. I hope they keep doing it, because I think it's turning into a tradition for me
After the race we met up with one of my husband's Army friends and we went to Jersey Mike's subs. Chipotle Cheesesteak... mmmhhmm. Then we made an impromptu decision to run by Walmart and grab some halloween decorations. We went back on base and decorated our trucks and ourselves for the battalion Trunk or Treat. I gave myself some face wound tattoos. Not bad for about 30 minutes of planning inside a Walmart
Even though we don't have kids we both had a really good time at the trunk or treat. Plus it was good to see some of my husband's friends and help support his battalion. He made an improvised costume too and actually ended up winning a prize - candy plus a sweet parking pass - which he can make great use of once he gets back to work (he had foot surgery recently)
Today I'm going to do some yoga to stretch everything out after yesterday. I'm quite sore as my body is not really used to sprinting for long periods of time. But no hip or back pain to report :)
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