October 22, 2026, Seward Folly

The forest trails near Seward’s new community center (old middle school) came alive with the undead during a pre-Halloween race billed as a “run for your life.” The 5K race, sponsored by Wild Fjord Charters, was on Saturday, October 17.

Organized by the Seward Parks and Recreation Department, the Zombie Run sent 99 runners onto the trails surrounding the former middle school. Waiting for them along the course were 23 costumed zombies, ready to chase them down and steal the flags attached to their clothing.

The field was divided into age groups ranging from 7 and younger to 65 and older. Groups started at 10-minute intervals, giving the zombies a fighting chance to catch their prey without being overwhelmed by the crowd.

Each runner received a headlamp to use during the race and keep afterward. As twilight settled over Seward, small groups could be seen making their way along the wooded trails on a perfect fall evening, watching the trees for signs of movement. Many runners grew jumpy as they approached the designated zombie zones, which included areas around the ball fields and school playgrounds.

The zombies were limited to those zones, but that didn’t make them any less frightening. With elaborate makeup, torn clothing and plenty of enthusiasm, they darted after runners and tried to capture their flags. Each stolen flag added one minute to a runner’s finishing time.

Runners could fight back — sort of. Blue bottles of “antidote” were hidden along the course, and collecting one reduced a runner’s total time.

“It really gets you running when they’re chasing you,” said Stephanie, one of the participants. She described the race as a mix of steady running and sudden sprints whenever a zombie appeared.

Andrea Brady and Helena Jagielski also completed the course together.

“I wasn’t scared. I was tired — very tired,” one of them joked.

“The zombies are definitely after you, and you’re outnumbered,” the other added. “It was a lot of fun.”

For them, the best part was sharing the experience and trying to slip past the zombies.

“I think doing it together, getting around the zombies and just having the excitement of something new was the most fun,” they said.

One young runner, Harbor Groomes, admitted the zombies hiding near the trees were scary. But when asked whether running away from them was fun, the answer was an enthusiastic yes.

The zombies, naturally, had their own stories.

One claimed to have joined the undead after a troubled youth. Another blamed peer pressure. A “zombie mom” said her duties included reminding children to do their dishes and finish their homework.

Seward City Manager Kat Sorensen took on the role of “Zombie City Manager,” overseeing what she called a strong crew of naturally gifted undead athletes.

“Zombies are just born athletes,” she joked. “There are no real emotions or brains to inhibit them from giving it their all.”

Asked how a city could operate if its zombies ate all the citizens, she quickly explained that Zombie City imports its food through races like this one.

Marie Antoinette — also known as Lily Coyle — said she had been a zombie for about 200 years.

“They cut off my head,” she explained. “Once they took my head, I needed to eat all the brains from all of their heads.”

In total, approximately 35 volunteers helped stage the event. About 23 served as zombies, while the rest worked as course sweepers, directed traffic, guided runners and monitored the zombie zones for safety. Volunteer shirts were handed out to help recognize the people working behind the scenes.

Organizer Ron Marsh said participation may remain near its current level next year, but he hopes to recruit more actors to make the course even spookier.

The long-term goal is to turn the Zombie Run into a destination event that draws runners from across the Kenai Peninsula to Seward.

For now, the formula is already working: a dark forest, dozens of hungry zombies and plenty of nervous runners wondering what’s behind the next tree.