Outbreak Missions: Stronghold in Intramuros

Walled City. Imagine when Spaniards ruled over us and there were armed struggle all over the place.
This, my friend, is the newest setting of the latest episode of  

Outbreak Missions: Operation Stronghold.

The atmosphere was intense and definitely dark.. Really Dark! The place was lit up by klieg lights and burn barrels.

A LOOOOOTTTTTT of runners.. trying to survive.

The zombie run that diversified into a choose your own adventure. No longer the pure race that it was once known for. Now it let's you decide and lets you walk it out. You read that right... Walk. 
 Good for us non-runners normal people. LOL 

Don't be deceived by the map; we went all over the place!

Leading up to the event, I wasn't really going to register for it as I had a most BFing worthy experience in the previous Outbreak Missions: The Narrows (click). But, I will be the first to admit that I enjoyed their EK run and also their BGC 2nd edition (Click). Not minding the bad experience, I nodded and got pushed into going back because of the invitations I got from friends and the chance to see Intramuros at night. Nothing to lose, everything to gain. 

I got to give it to them, this got to be their most successful event yet and I truly enjoyed it. 

With a lot of major sponsors, double or almost triple the number they got from the previous Outbreaks, the missions definitely manned up and easily filled up the slots for the run and even prompting them to open some more just like what they used to do a year or so ago..

Being able to hype it up via social media also helped. Classic examples would be their posters that had a lot of quirky idea in them and would basically summarize everything you would need to know. Like this one.

As the event day night arrived, I saw myself prepping up just like what anyone would do and that is .....

taking a selfie with my game face on! LOL!

LOL@ Pagbigyan na!

Signing up for the event would be the start to get that adrenaline feel but getting the life belts would be another adventure.

Yup you guessed right. The lines were epic. Long and I mean LONG! It snaked all the way behind the sponsor booths. Just goes to show that a lot really wanted to try out this missions.

Before getting in, I was able to interrogate politely interview old and new friends and was quite amused to learn that for most of them, it is their first time. Outbreak Virgins if you will. Take for example, Gran, an old friend from way way back when I was an administrator of Pinoytambaygroup. He was going with a bunch of dedicated runners from Pinoy Fitness, who were also media partners of the event. This isn't his first rodeo as he is a seasoned runner but truth be told it was his first Outbreak Missions. He mentioned that he was pretty much excited about the event and of course game face on. LOL! Nice seeing you pal.

With an Outbreak Virgin Roch...
 Another one would be Roch of The Dice In The Board, while waiting in line, I had a small chat with her. I learned that it was her first time and she was quite excited about it as well. She, along with a few others, were blogger participants that were invited by the organizers. I hope she came out alive. I was actually scared for her because of her uhm.. petite frame.

So why where we lined up infront of mogu-mogu? It was because they were giving away an extra life (which turned out to be a t-shirt ~ YAHOO!)

Thank you so much!!! Mogu-Mogu! Your tshirt rocks.. now if only it would fit. waaaaa!

Along with mogu-mogu, there were a lot, and I mean, a lot of booths to make the participants busy happy while waiting for the gun start. Sponsors crowded the entrance and the sides to make everyone glad they arrived early. Some were giving free drinks while others had photo booths set up. I got to take home a bunch of magazines, energy drinks, free coffee, fan, and even some feminine wash .
(woops don't tell my mom).

In true Outbreak Fashion, wave 1 started a bit late. I guess it was them checking, double checking, triple checking everything and making sure the course was prepared to the fullest. For safety and what not reasons, since we were running in the famed centuries old walled city of Manila after all.

When wave 2 was called, my buddy and I went on in with nothing but a creep feeling. It was pretty much dark. The old cave like structures were really cold and has that musty feel! It was freaking me out!

The run proper started with Dr. Vera Adarna and Guerrero asking everyone to find the estranged 

Dr. Alfonso Adarna. 

Dr. Adarna went on over the the walled city because there lies a small pox vaccine strain that could be the cure. Unfortunately, he was captured by the Brotherhood, who controls Intramuros. and it is up to the survivors to get him back and get out with the cure.

 Outbreak's trailer

 We were asked to form a group of 10-15 just so to let us have a better chance of staying alive.

And here lies the point of no return. 

 Zombies were scattered all over the place. Right from the get go. For the first 200 meters, it was just all running and screaming. It was pure horror!

When you see them on the streets, you automatically run like hell!

You go left or right or straight and back but you can't stop! It is the only way to go when you see them waiting and craving for your lives.

Wait.. you're not my grandma!!!

After a few scares, we were walking on the walls of Intramuros and was able to meet up and encounter some Non-player characters (NPC) for the Brotherhood.

They asked us for a life just so as everyone would be given safe passage with the brotherhood held territory. Then another NPC from The Rebels informed us of another frightening threat. We were supposed to transverse a Brotherhood controlled area where we should avoid the lights. 

It was pure fear! Everyone ran like hell and were trying to avoid the lights and the horde of zombies. Since the floor was uneven, it was difficult running in the dark getting away from the undead. OMG!

 After getting out of that pit hole, leaders of the Brotherhood (which turned out to be girls LOL!), welcomed us and asked everyone to join them. 

After walking the path on top of the walls, we were greeted by Brotherhood personnel that said an area ahead was engulf with zombies. UV lights were placed and would help us in avoiding them. As such, we should stay on the path of the red light. 

Unfortunately, it was only available half way.

OMG! SCARY FUN S**T!!!happened next.

We all huddled and lured towards the light but suddenly, no more lights!!!! 

 WAAAAHHHH! RUN!! RUNN!!!! 

It was the only way.... lives were lost!!

After getting out, we were able to finally see the high and intoxicated Dr. Adarna!

He was at the entrance of Fort Santiago.

 He informed everyone to look for 3 ingredients to get all the way through that stage and control the zombies for the Brotherhood but advised that there is an extra one that would help cure the Outbreak for the Rebels and it was found outside the fort.

 After bad mouthing her former wife and the rebels and asking us to stay for drinks, he advised us to get on in the fort and start looking for ingredients (in the form of glow sticks).

When  we entered, a lot and I mean a lot of freaking zombies swarmed us to death. 

They were unleashed upon us!!! Waaaa!!!!

 Thankfully, we got those glow sticks. Then, we were able to walk towards the end. Here comes the waiting game. We were funneled into a path and had us fall in line and wait for our turn. Daig pa ang pila ng MRT!

But it was worth it. 

Once we got in, we were met by another NPC and advised to pick 2 paths. 

1 to the left, which was for the brotherhood. They stand for CONTROL of the Zombies to protect their group from outside forces. The easier path. 

And another to the right. It was were we could be able to get the 4th ingredient for the CURE but warned us that we would pass by hordes of zombies that were deaf but not blind. We were advised to walk steady. Not slow nor fast as they would eat us alive!

The team chose the harder way. Thankfully, we survived and met up with doctors from the Rebels. 

They asked for our ingredients and mixed a concoction

and had 2 zombies tied up to the wall to test the CURE...

and yes, it did work!! They turned normal!

Wohoooooooo!!!!!!!

and from there, we were back to where we started. 

This run was my 4th with OM and I got to say, I was pretty much impressed with their organizational and event planning skill. 

 The setting proved to be a difficult one but they had it covered and I guess everyone enjoyed!!!

I had fun to say the least and TEAM PORK SISIG was awesome!

 Thank you so much guys!!!!

.Photo courtesy of francramon.com's Facebook

Thanks for listening and giving advise on what to do and where to go!! Awesome Team Work!

Of course, just so you know, I survived the run with 3 lives from an original 4, but gave my dog tag to another team mate.. just because she didn't have any...I'm sweet like that...

and yeah.. look at all the swag I got...way better than the previous run :D

I personally enjoyed this one better than the last missions but over all, EK was the best for me. Its just something to do with a theme park and zombie clowns in it. For the 1000Php fee, they got the parking covered and a lot of marshals and police were around to properly escort and take care of the well being of the participants. The take home loot bag and shirt was cool too. 

On the last Outbreak Run I was BFing about this and that, this time around, I guess they made improvements and things worked out fine. Everything went on to be a little smoother and better. Definitely! Would I go back and run again? We shall see. Fine I will and it depends on my friends too! LOL! Hopefully, they get to have another awesome venue and get to ummph the fear factor!!!!And yes the 1000Php fee was worth every penny.

Also Check out Francramon.com 's experience.

and wait for Roch's experience too!!

Outbreak Missions

www.outbreakmanila.com/

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P.S.

I would add more photos once they are available from the site.

If you wish for all the photos I got, just email me up and I would gladly send them on over.

Please forgive my shots, I only used my Iphone as bringing my dslr just woudn't allow me to maneuver properly.

Disclaimer: Some of the photos here are from Outbreak's Facebook Page, Rochkirstin.com's Facebook and Francramon.com and aren't mine; I paid for my OM slots and I wrote this based on my own experience.