Charleston rUNdead 5K Returns in November with Plenty of New Features and Charitable Focus

Charleston’s zombie race, rUNdead, is back from the dead in 2016. A 5K run and fall festival, rUNdead is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 at Mullet Hall Equestrian Center on Johns Island. This year’s event offers a number of new attractions, plus will benefit Lowcountry Helping Hands and Lowcountry Food Bank.

Organized by On Purpose Adventures, the Charleston rUNdead 5K took a break last year, but Ben-Jamin Toy is eager to revive the event as a fall festival with a zombie theme. Plus, Charleston is lacking this fall in frighteningly fun events, he said.

“With the demise of Skinful Charleston and the Charleston Zombie Walk, and the temporary closure of Boone Hall’s Fright Nights/Running Scared Zombie 5K, the lack of creepy-crawlies was overwhelming,” Toy said. “So, we decided it was time to open a few vials of TS-19, and create a new quarantine zone.”

New to the event is the Kidz Quarantine with a host of activities to keep even the most restless little zombies busy. Summerville Dance Academy will be on site teaching some side-stepping dance moves, perfect for avoiding zombies. Charleston Jump Castles will have jump castles for burning off some energy. Bricks 4 Kidz will turn Legos and building blocks into one of the most important zombie survival training tools with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Lowcountry Bubble Soccer will have bubble suits so kids can master evasive maneuvers while encased in a bubble. Children also will love the Nerf War Zone and Laser Tag Territory.

Admission for the Kidz Quarantine is $15 in advance and $25 after Nov. 1 for ages 4 to 17. Kids under 4 are admitted free. Adult runners and zombies get one free Kidz Quarantine ticket per registration. Parents also can drop their kids off in the Kidz Quarantine area; a special check-in system will be used to keep children safe while parents run the 5K race or enjoy other activities.

Survive the rUNdead 5K race course by navigating your way through trails and open clearings plagued by zombies without losing your health flags. Prizes will be awarded for the top three finishers per age group with and without flags. Get an extra health flag by bringing five canned goods for donation to Lowcountry Food Bank.

The Main Course 5K begins at 1 p.m. (chip timing with waves every 5 minutes) for ages 18 and older. The race is limited to 500 runners, and the cost is $45 per person in advance ($60 after Nov. 1). Registration includes rUNdead logoed aluminum water bottle, one beer token (for 21+), chip timing, bib, flag belt with three detachable flags and one ticket to the Kidz Quarantine zone.

Added to the event this year is The Appetizer Teen Race presented by Paragon construction company. This race is specifically for ages 13 to 17. It begins at 11 a.m. and is limited to 200 runners. Registration is $35 in advance ($50 after Nov. 1).

Team registrations are also available, and $100 from every team registration will be donated to Lowcountry Helping Hands.

Or, skip the running and register as a zombie, making the 5K course extra creepy and challenging. Wear your own makeup or sign up for a zombie makeover at the Kenneth Shuler Zombie Assimilation Station. Cost is $15 per person ($25 after Nov. 1) and registration is on a first come, first served basis so register early. Theme costumes are encouraged and there will be a costume contest. Zombie registration ranges from $20 to $35 in advance and includes rUNdead aluminum water bottle, one beer token (21+) and one ticket to the Kidz Quarantine zone.

This year’s event benefits Lowcountry Helping Hands, which provides assistance to disaster victims, individuals with medical conditions, startup ministries, children living in poverty, and people who are simply less fortunate. It was recently founded by Ben-Jamin Toy and a group of other like-minded South Carolinians whose goal is to use their time and talents to help fellow Lowcountry residents. For more information, visit http://lowcountryhelpinghands.org.

Learn more about the Charleston rUNdead 5K and register for all activities at http://rundead5k.com. Sponsorship are also available, with a portion of the sponsorship money used to bring underprivileged children to the event for a fun afternoon.