The zombies are back in Outbreak Manila, but after three years of evading them, at some point, people will want the “cure.”

 

In Outbreak Manila Missions last week, 1,200 participants searched for the rumored antidote called “Adarna” in Filinvest City, Muntinlupa. Two more batches on Oct. 18 and 19 will complete the series, and here’s a quick guide on how to survive the mission.

 

1. Choose the right people for the task.

 

The Adarna Initiative Mission can be a social experiment to see how your loved ones rise to the occasion in the face of danger. Many came with their family, most came with their friends, and some will probably have to reevaluate relationships at the end of the race.

 

Bringing the smartest friend or most athletic buddy may become secondary when what you really want to know is who has your back or who would give up a life (or, in this case, one red belt tag) for you to reach the finish line.

 

Jika Pascua didn’t realize she held her boyfriend’s hand almost all throughout the race and escaped the reach of 150 zombies at the set.

 

“He was very protective. But at times, he’d be far ahead,” she said. “I thought he’d leave me. But it turns out, he was just making sure the coast was clear for us.”

 

Strangers

 

2. Go as a group, decide as a group.

 

Since every mission is composed of 10 people, be prepared to be grouped with strangers. Welcome this opportunity to make new friends and brainstorm on tactics as a team, but be wary of brats and know-it-alls. Being stuck with a whining or immature teammate can slow down the whole team or break your cool. Remember, consensus goes a long way when there are different suggestions.

 

There is no shame in being last, but nobody wants to be the burden of the group either. That’s why the organizers did not set a time frame to earn the survivor’s badge at the finish line.

 

“It’s not a race. It’s about choosing your own adventure,” said Angelo Cruz, organizer and head of Runtertainment Inc. which started the zombie concept runs that had been held in Nuvali, Bonifacio Global City and Enchanted Kingdom the last three years.

 

“In the past Outbreak Manila runs, we noticed that many of the participants joined more for the fun factor than the run itself. So we decided to turn this year’s race into a choice-dependent mission,” he added.

 

3. Strategize at the start. Improvise along the way.

 

Being fit as a triathlete or clever like McGyver is no guarantee you’ll finish the race with “lives” intact. After all, the zombies don’t make the distinction. But preparation, orientation, coordination and agility will be assets for survival.

 

Outbreak Mission is not a linear 5-km race with a start-to-finish objective.

 

Jeff Palpal-Latoc, a long-distance runner, learned this the hard way when he slid and bruised his knee in the first 50 meters of the course while trying to dodge the first line of hungry zombies. He managed to fare better when he exercised greater caution.

 

“If you can’t beat them, confuse them” proved to be an effective strategy for most teams. With 1,200 participants divided into three waves, one zombie even declared he didn’t expect the undead would be “outnumbered.”

 

Things may not go as planned, so set meeting places such as water zones or marshal posts across the area in case a member gets lost or delayed or goes astray.

 

“While being alone can be tempting so you only have to look after yourself, going rogue will make you an easy target for a horde of zombies,” said Captain Rodriguez, a character who acts as camp commander of the mission.

 

Malicious survivors

 

4. On trade-offs, clues and extra lives

 

This year’s apocalypse scenario introduced other characters who will give clues or entrap participants. In “Adarna Initiative,” runners will get help from scientists who offer “antidotes,” but must avoid malicious survivors with self-serving plans.

 

From Filinvest Avenue and then inside the Filinvest Fiesta Mall, watch out for those who will offer clues for shortcuts in exchange for life tags. Others may be pretending to be survivors, but are actually zombies. Some clues lead directly to extra lives while others require special tasks.

 

Weigh the risks and proceed only when you really need the extra “lives.” In the end, the goal of the mission is to finish with at least one red belt tag to survive.

 

5. Have fun.

 

This cheat sheet to survive the Outbreak Manila Missions can only be as good as your experience out there. Enjoy the moment, get lost, find your way back and have fun.

 

For Steph Arrienda, the hardest part of the course was also the most exciting part in the Fiesta Mall food court where many of the zombies were ready to feast on them.

 

“Some people even jumped from table to table just to escape!” she said.

 

Even zombies had a good time chasing screaming women and men. Most zombies had to audition by sending videos to the organizers, including 12 parkour artists from Philippine Parkour/Free Running Association (PPFA) who ran, rolled, flipped and vaulted to tag the runners.

 

“People react differently when they’re scared. Some cuss, others fight back, but most of them run away. It’s good to be the one running after them,” said Eason de Guzman of PPFA.

 

On Oct. 18, another round of Adarna Initiative Mission will take place, while on Oct. 19, participants joining the Narrows Mission will navigate their way through Fiesta Mall and Filinvest City to get on the last bus ride out of the infected zone.