The running dead

ZOMBIES HAVE BEEN very much in the hot seat recently with two Thai zombie movies due in cinemas and the popular TV series “Walking Dead” back for its fifth season. Now the brave and the fun-loving can try to outrun zombies in real life as the adventure-run series “Run for Your Lives” finds it way next Saturday to Wonder Water Fun Park in Bangkok.

A combination of an obstacle course, fun fair and music festival, the event offers adrenaline-seekers a chance to test their mental prowess and physical strength over a 4.5-kilometre course, as they, in the role of “survivors”, navigate hostile terrain and overcome challenging obstacles to reach the Safe Zone. Participants can also assume the role of a “zombie” and then roam around the course grabbing the life flags from “survivors”. 

Introduced in 2011 by Reed Street Productions in Baltimore, Maryland, the race series quickly spread to other cities around North America then to Asia, where it has been held in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

The Bangkok stop is being organised by license holder Nadnan Atcharakitti and project director Phootha-Ake Thienthawach of Fan C Pro. 

“I enjoy exercising and happened to be in Singapore on business when ‘Run For Your Lives’ was held there two years ago. I took part and loved it! It’s a sportinff activity that everyone can enjoy. That’s why I decided to bring it to Bangkok,” Nadnan says. 

“This is the first time ‘Run for Your Lives’ is being organised in an amusement park. We want to introduce a new experience to Thais and promote it as a new tourist attraction. Apart from the run, we’re also holding a fancy dress contest where participants can design their own character to win prizes.”

Fan C Pro has invested some Bt20 million in the event, which is divided into three zones – the race course, a fun fair and the “Apocalypse” party. 

Participants must safeguard at least one of the life flags they carry and make it to the Safe Zone to receive a “survivor” medal. Those who arrive empty-handed get an “infected” medal.

The “zombies” hide behind obstacles, which vary from reasonably easy to challenging. They include a “laser grid” inspired by a scene in “Resident Evil”, in which survivors have to scramble along a 20-metre, cobweb-like net to test their agility and endurance. 

The “blood pit”, a pond filled with red-coloured water, forces survivors to hold their breath as they swim underwater . And there’s the “cage crawl”, in which you have learn how to move like a zombie. Other obstacles involve a claustrophobic crawl through a tunnel and a muscle-killing climb over a stack of tyres.

“The obstacle race symbolises the difficulties we all face in life. By learning to resolve these, we become strong and more mature,” Phoota-Ake says.

“In addition to the eight standard RFYL obstacles, we’ve added four of our own. And we are, of course, concerned about safety so we will have 500 staff standing by to keep an eye on things.

After the run, there’s the fun fair with vendors selling merchandise, food and beverages. And the Apocalypse Party gets underway after dark with music from Lomosonic, Flure and the Mousse plus dance mixes from DJs Faj Sai and Roxy June.

“We are planning to extend the race to other Thai venues at the end of the year, so keep a look out for information on the next events.”

 

 WIN AND RUN

>>Run for Your Lives will be held on Saturday at Wonder Water Park on Ram-Indra Road. “Survivors” can take part in 20 rounds from 8am to 5.30pm with eight rounds for “zombies” from 8am to 4pm. Tickets cost Bt1,500 at www.ThaiTicketMajor.com. Part of the proceeds will go to National Council on Social Welfare of Thailand. 

 

Sunday Leisure readers have a chance to win a pair of tickets. Just be among

the first five to answer these questions:

>>Who created the first Run for Your Life?

>>Where was the first Run for Your Life held? 

>>E-mail [email protected] with “RFYL” by 6pm on Tuesday. We will contact the winners, who can pick up their tickets at the gate.