A marauding horde of fitness and fun fanatics, more than 13,000 runners plus an anticipated entourage of encouraging and curious onlookers, will gather at Rural Hill this weekend for the event sponsored by Chicago-based Red Frog Events. The race — a combo package featuring a 5k fitness trail potentially laced with flame pits, climbing walls, mud bogs, barricades and other undisclosed heartaches and hardships — is designed to test endurance and imagination. Waves of runners, each 500 strong, will depart the starting line at Rural Hill’s exhibition field at 30-minute intervals starting at 9 a.m. Saturday. The last group on Saturday will begin at 4:30 p.m. and a new batch will begin Sunday runs begins at 9 a.m.

On-site preparations for the local version of Warrior Dash, which is being held at 35 locations this year including stops in Australia and Canada, began early this week. Alex Yount and 15 other Red Frog representatives descended on the 265-acre historic farm off Neck Road and, with the assistance of locally based contractors, began transforming Rural Hill’s basic running trail into a test of stubbornness and survival.

“Every course is different and each one is set up with obstacles blended with the natural surroundings,” Yount says. “This is a great course, lots of hills, rough terrain just the stuff we look for. This is a great spot for us.”

Yount, who most recently set up a course in Canada, said this weekend’s race will be the first Warrior Dash in North Carolina and that a good percentage of the registered racers are from the state. But he added that the event is also attracting interest from many other areas.

“Usually at each of our races, we have people from 42 states,” Yount says. “We have a good following of people who look to see where our events will be held and then plan trips around them.”

Jeff Fissel, Rural Hill’s executive director, can attest to Yount’s statement.

“We’ve had phone calls from all over the place,” Fissel says. “I’m astonished at the amount of interest. I got a call the other day from New Jersey from folks talking about being here and asking about Rural Hill and the community. This event seems to have a tremendous, loyal following.”

Yount says regular Warrior Dash events usually draw around 15,000 participants, so a 13,000-plus showing for a first-time location is promising. He also recognizes other factors that could lead to a continuing relationship between Rural Hill and the race.

“I see a lot of positives with this location,” Yount says. “The layout is ideal and the cooperation and community support has been tremendous. We think this is a unique opportunity for Huntersville to capitalize on the tourism dollars coming in and I hope this will be a benefit for the town.”

Fissel also sees some partnership promise. “We’re excited about having this here and so far this group has been great to work with,” he says. “They seem to be a very professional outfit. We’ll see how things go this weekend, but I think it would be great to add this to our growing calendar of events.”

No matter what the future holds, Fissel views this weekend’s race as a tremendous plus for Rural Hill and the overall community.

“We’ll have a lot of people coming out here and a lot of people staying in the community for the weekend,” he says “It gives us a great opportunity to showcase everything Rural Hill has to offer and it provides a good boost for local hotels, restaurants and other businesses.”

The business angle caught the attention of Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain. She contacted each business in Rosedale Shopping Center to spread the word about the Warrior Dash and to encourage business along Gilead Road off Interstate 77 on a direct path to Rural Hill, to combine their efforts to lure warriors and race watchers into their stores.

And Travis Dancy, sports marketing manager with Visit Lake Norman, the region’s travel and tourism agency, says he expects the positive impact of the Warrior Dash, originally estimated to generate a $3.4 million boost to the local economy, to exceed expectations.

“We figured on about 1,050 motel nights — 450 on Friday and 600 on Saturday,” Dancy says, “but I think we’re going to be way beyond that. All the preliminary feedback I’m getting from the hotels has been great. I think this has the potential to be the biggest event we’ve been a part of.”

And Dancy echoed Fissel’s assessment of Red Frog’s operation.

“They have been a pleasure to work with,” he says. “They seem to be a very customeroriented, cohesive unit. I know Jeff will look at how everything works out this weekend, but we’d like to lock this event into a multi-year contract.”