Frequently heard at the giant slide: “I’ve got mud in my eyes!” The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)
Run for Your Lives is described as “A zombie-infested 5K obstacle course race,” but it’s more than that. It’s also a chance for people to get urned into zombies by professional makeup artists, to hear live music played loud enough to be audible throughout the course, and to indulge in all their zombie fantasies for a day. Run for Your Lives Denver took place Saturday, July 14, 2012, at a motocross track at the base of the hogback in far western Lakewood, Colorado.
In many smaller groups, three heats were spaced throughout the day. Both zombies and runners rotated in and out each time.
Early in the course, runners had the option to slide down a water slide about 100 feet tall, ending in a bowl of mud the size of a very small swimming pool. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Sliding and dunking in pairs ruled the day at the giant water slide. Behind this pair you can see the splash from the next person in line landing in the mud pit. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Some runners seemed surprised by the soaking they got in the mud pit. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Climbing out of the mud pit proved challenging for some. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)At times the number of runners in the mud pit below the slide was almost dangerous, but everyone appeared to be having a great time. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Just as this woman stood up from her own dunking, the next slider landed behind her and soaked her again. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)
People who signed up to be zombies, reportedly about 700 of them, were turned into zombies, assigned ‘runner’ or ‘walker’ status, issued a few bottles of water and sent to their assigned location on the course. People who signed up just to run were issued a flag belt with three flags on it. Losing all your flags to the zombies meant you were dead (you could still finish the race, but apparently weren’t eligible for any prizes or medals).
Hundreds of runner climbing over the wall caused a break, dropping the water level in the mud pit. There were several injuries including this man who was driven away nursing a broken ankle after landing badly. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Medic Samantha spend much of the morning at the mud pit helping people injured by bad landings. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Weaving was the key to avoiding the bulk of the zombies in the many infested areas of the course. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)This former medical professional now wants to eat your brains instead of restoring them to health. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)This former medical professional now wants to eat your brains instead of restoring them to health. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Bitten! A runner loses a flag to a zombie about 1/3 of the way through the course. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)At the halfway point a steep hill awaited runners, who used ropes to help them up the hill. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Hand over hand, runners work their way to the top of the steep hill. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Just past the halfway point runners had to belly crawl under a tunnel of boards set up in a shallow mud hole. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Just past the halfway point runners had to belly crawl under a tunnel of boards set up in a shallow mud hole. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Near the belly-crawl, another mud pit awaited runners. Some ran through, others waded, while still others dove in and rolled around. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Near the belly-crawl, another mud pit awaited runners. Some ran through, others waded, while still others dove in and rolled around. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Near the belly-crawl, another mud pit awaited runners. Some ran through, others waded, while still others dove in and rolled around. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)A runner recovers a shoe pulled off by the mud before continuing on the course. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Water station two serves up gallons of water, 5 ounces at a time, for parched runners on the sunny, 97-degree day in Denver. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Even zombies need a cool drink in the 97-degree heat on the track. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)This runner successfully threaded a tight needle through the largest pack of zombies on the course. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)
The course was 5 kilometers and every section had an obstacle; about half the obstacles were packs of zombies runners had to weave their way through. Other, physical, obstacles awaited as well, including mud pits, giant water slides, belly crawls, hill climbs and mazes. The zombies provided a bit of extra motivation for runners, reports Ryan Parker of The Denver Post.
At the largest zombie obstacle, the zombies Tebowed to greet an approaching group of runners as the came over the rise and the zombie pack was revealed. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Only a few hundred feet from the end of the course, runners get a chance to “shower” and refresh before the finish line. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)In the final zombie pack, a runner dodges the walking dead to inch closer to the finish line. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)A member of the final zombie pack prepares for an incoming wave of runners. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)A runner jumps and twists to avoid a zombie’s grasp in the final group of walking dead. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Runners group up to move through the final zombie pack before the finish line. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Zombies eager for brains attempt to corner a runner just before the finish line. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)
The penultimate obstacle is a wall climb and slide into a giant tank of mud. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)After crossing the finish line, runners have a chance to be hosed off before changing back into city clothes. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)After sliding down the penultimate obstacle, a runner shakes off the mud before heading to the final obstacle and finish line. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)
Runners belly crawl under an “electric” fence to cross the finish line. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)Runners crawl slowly under the final obstacle to cross the finish line and end their zombie-filled sprint. The Run for Your Lives 5K race took place in Lakewood, Colorado, at a motocross track near I-70 and C-470, July 14, 2012. (Daniel J. Schneider)
All these photos were taken with my Canon 30D. Nearly all were taken with my 135mm f/2.0L lens at f/2.8 or f/4.0. A few use my 50mm f/1.4 at f/2 or f/5.6, or my 20mm f/2.8 at f/4 or f/8.
Photoshop adjustments included levels to correct white balance and very minor sharpening on a few frames.
