Zombie Escape 5K set for Saturday
It begins with finding the right outfit.
It’s generally older clothes, torn up to look especially filthy.
Then comes the makeup. The right combination of reds, blacks, toilet paper and glue creates a look fitting for the occasion.
Suddenly, 11-year-old Juneau Beaupre is a zombie. And his prey, this Saturday, will be runners.
Hundreds of runners, and many one-day zombies, will be at Williams Lake in Rosendale Saturday for the seventh annual UlsterCorps Zombie Escape.
Beaupre, for the third year in a row, will be among the undead volunteers scattered along the five-kilometer course whose goal will not be completing the race, but rather stopping the runners from crossing the finish line with all their “health flags” intact.
And, as is so often the tragic case in these zombie movies and shows, Beaupre’s top target each year is a loved one. His mother, Courtney Beaupre, runs the 5K.
“My son has gotten me in the past,” she said, “but I usually try to reserve my flags for the younger kids.”
Beth McLendon, director and one of the co-founders of UlsterCorps, compared the object of the race to flag football.
“The idea is if you choose to run, the runners wear side belts and the zombies try to take the flag,” she said. “If you cross with at least one, you get a Zombie Escape survivor wristband. It’s a really fun event and a wonderful way to start the Halloween season.”
In addition to the 5K, there’s a free one-kilometer kids run and a one-kilometer walk/hike.
Juneau and Courtney Beaupre watch videos each year to learn new ways of creating the zombie look. Recently, the pair discovered a way to create the appearance of skin that had been bitten, by putting glue on toilet paper and covering Juneau with the toilet paper.
“Any chance for him to dress up and try to scare people is pretty cool on his list of things to do,” the older Beaupre said.
The “zombies” are generally kids and adult supervisors, who are given breakfast and beverages prior to the race. After arriving, Courtney Beaupre assists her son with his makeup, which takes between 15 and 20 minutes.
“He gets frustrated if he doesn’t get it right,” she explained. “Therefore, I’ve become the zombie master of makeup.”
In fact, this year, the entire Beaupre family made use of those skills.
“Every year, we redo our family photo,” Courtney Beaupre said. “This year, Juneau asked if we could all be zombies so now we have pictures all around our house of the entire family as zombies!”
McLendon sees the event as a way to bring in volunteers for UlsterCorps, a seven-year-old nonprofit organization that she describes as a “volunteer hub.”
“We started it as a way to build community relations and raise funds for our volunteer network in the Hudson Valley,” said Stephen Gilman, an UlsterCorps adviser. “We think there’s no better motivation to coming here than wanting to come out and support volunteerism in the Hudson Valley. That’s what UlsterCorps is all about.”
With this event, the organization gains one-day volunteers who often come back for long-term volunteer work.
For Gilman, one of his favorite parts about the event are the interactions between the zombies and the runners.
“The runners’ reactions to the zombies are really hilarious to be a part of,” Gilman said. “The zombies have just as much fun as the runners. It adds a level of excitement and adrenaline.”
“It’s fun and the kids can get a little competitive,” Courtney Beaupre added. “They always have a good time.”
Zombie Escape
When: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Where: Williams Lake, Rosendale
What: Zombie-themed running event. 10 a.m. registration, 11 a.m. one-kilometer kids fun run (free), 11:30 a.m. five-kilometer zombie escape race, 11:45 one-kilometer walk/hike, 12:30 p.m. awards ceremony
Cost: $20 with free t-shirt if preregistered on Active.com, $25 without t-shirt on day of the race
More information: Visit www.ulstercorps.org