Prizes will be awarded for the wildest costume in the costume competition. Photo contributed
The sixth annual Blood and Guts 5K Run will take place Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville. About 1,500 people are expected to attend this wild zombie obstacle course race. Runners will trudge through 10 obstacles while a horde of zombies shoots at them with “blood”-filled water guns. The low- to moderate-risk obstacle course race is designed for individuals of all ages and abilities and takes place four times, every half-hour starting at 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
"The Blood and Guts Run is the wildest 5K Zombie Obstacle Race. It's the perfect event to get in the Halloween mood," said founder Max Bawarski, 34, of Manassas. "It's a combination of all of the obstacle races and mud runs out there. When you run, you get sprayed by zombies with fake blood. We try to make it a fun event for everyone."
What's new this year is a 75-foot-long inflatable slide. Other highlights include a pumpkin guts pit, creepy cargo net, rugged rope wall, blood water slide, beams of fear, spider web, bizarre body bags, and foam slip-n-slide. In addition, there will be a blood and guts pit filled with spaghetti, a “blood”-filled foam machine, plus 100 or so zombies (volunteers in makeup).
Another highlight this year is Knockerball, for an additional $5. It's a game where players get inside a large inflatable sphere or plastic bubble and smash into other players. The balls have inner handles and adjustable shoulder straps on the inside. "It's a fun, adrenaline-rushing game that anybody can play at any age," said Bawarski, a physical education teacher (grades K-6) at Providence Elementary in Fairfax. He was an All-American runner and track star in 2002; and he graduated from Cortland State College in New York in 2005.
"If you're a Halloween fanatic, this is a great event to come to. We try to turn Bull Run Park into a Halloween atmosphere. We encourage people to wear costumes. We have marines run the course as well as 5-year-olds. It's neat to see all of the ages in costumes," he added.
Prizes will be awarded for the wildest individual costume at 10:30-11 a.m. Last year, about half of the Blood and Guts participants ran in Halloween costumes. A portion of proceeds will benefit charity partner Susan G. Komen of Virginia for breast cancer research.
In addition, two deejays will play top hits throughout the day and a Zumba Fusion Dance Party will take place near the finish line. To feed the apocalypse, four food trucks will be parked outside, offering French fare, gourmet tater-tots, gourmet hotdogs, and Hawaiian ice.
The cost to run the 5K race is $30-$35. Discounts are available at $10 off to students, teachers, military personnel, police officers, firefighters, and nurses. If a child is 13 or younger, tickets are $10 off. Tickets for a team of three runners are $10 off. If registering four or more people on a team, email support@BloodandGutsRun.com for a discount. Check the website for the promo codes.
Runners who finish the race will receive custom-made medals. Volunteers, who receive free admission, are still needed to be zombies, makeup artists, security, and miscellaneous positions.
The Blood and Guts Race event will take place at the Bull Run Regional Park Special Events Center, 7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville. Visit the website at www.BloodandGutsRun.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bloodandgutsrun. To volunteer, contact Max@BloodandGutsRun.com or call 571-969-4887.