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By STEFANIA CAMPANA
Staff Writer

“Run or be infected” was this year’s theme at the annual Zombie Mud Run at Haunt Manor.

The fourth annual event took place Sept. 16 at Campark Resorts on Lundy’s Lane, in Niagara Falls, to kick off the fall season.

The five kilometre run spread out across the Campark grounds consisted of mud, foam, water, obstacles, colour, and, of course, zombies.  About 500 participants of all ages came out to outrun the zombies on the course and “stay alive.”

Rhonda Van Kleef, co-owner of Campark Resorts and Haunt Manor, says it takes weeks to get the course ready for the event.

“Our lives are the business so, a lot of the stuff that we incorporate into the mud run is also for Haunt Manor. But I’d say just taping the course and marking that takes about three days and every year we have to cut more trails. That takes a couple days, so it’s probably a good two weeks of work for one person and four or five days with a team of five. It’s a lot of work.”

The objective of the race is to stay alive, runners are given a flag belt to wear around their waist and as they continue through the course zombies chase the participants and try to retrieve those flags.

Bethany Stephens and Ryan Roy display their matching t-shirts for the race. PHOTO BY STEFANIA CAMPANA

If a participant crosses the line with more than one flag they are deemed a survivor and get a survivor’s medal.

If a runner crosses the finish line with one or no flags they have been deemed infected and get an infected medal.

All the proceeds from the extra life lines bought towards the run were donated to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. Van Kleef knows the effects of the disease too well.

“I had colitis my whole entire life. Actually, I had to have my large colon removed so I have a permanent ileostomy. So to me I suffered for so many years, so when we picked a charity that was going to be it.”

Many participants of the race were returning runners.

Ryan Bradley a zombie volunteer prepares for his role before the race. PHOTO BY STEFANIA CAMPANA

“This is my second year doing this run. I like it. It’s fun,” said Bethany Stephens, an annual competitor.

“This year is different. We have our colour packs and I heard the course is reversed so everything is backwards now, so that should be fun.”

Van Kleef said the idea for the Zombie Mud Run came from visiting conventions and seeing how a trend of themed runs was progressing throughout North America.

So, they did their research and while adding their own spin of zombies to the conventional runs, the Zombie Mud Run was born.

“Anyone can do it. It’s fun and its exhilarating. We wanted to keep it very light and fun,” said Van Kleef.

Until next year the zombies have returned to their graves as Campark Resorts prepares for this coming Haunt Manor season.