NEW BOSTON — As Halloween approaches, Curt McDermott and Mike Veilleux thought it might be fun to see how much faster runners will go if chased by a seething mob of zombies.

The idea for the Rails to Entrails Zombie Survival 5K race was born.

Sunday, Oct. 21, brave souls will gather at the 4H Youth Center to compete in the first-ever Rails to Entrails Zombie Survival 5k. The race will take runners on a horrifying jaunt through zombie-infested woods and over a series of obstacle courses that will force them to jump, crawl and evade the decomposing clutches of the undead.

Participants can register either as runners or zombies and prizes will be awarded for the most successful individuals in each category.

“My co-coordinator, Mike Veilleux, came up with the idea of hosting a zombie-themed race to benefit a local charity after we both participated in a similar, for-profit event outside Boston,” said McDermott. “We figured that, instead of trying to make a profit, it made much more sense to improve the area in which our students live.”

The two Goffstown High School teachers decided that the New Boston Rail Trail, a project of the town’s Conservation Commission, could benefit from some funds raised through the race and from the resulting publicity.

“The New Boston Rail Trail was a natural fit, as an improved trail will promote healthy activity and community involvement all year long,” McDermott said. “The whole point of this 5K is to create a trail awesome enough to run on all the time, not just at Halloween.”

Rails to Entrails, which is open to all, will begin at 8:30 a.m. Local bands will provide live entertainment from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., the close of the race.

For those not yet undead, local vendors will offer a variety of food options and an army of face painters will be on hand to make sure early-arriving zombies look especially gruesome, the coordinators said.

“This is a 5K unlike any other in the area,” said Veilleux. “In addition to regular racers, Rails to Entrails is going to draw people who are fans of the zombie genre or who might be looking for an additional challenge beyond what the typical 5K provides.”

In addition to its work with the Rail Trail, the Conservation Commission acts as a steward for town-owned conservation lands and ensures environmentally friendly development within New Boston.

For more information or to register visit www.railstoentrails.com.