The Color Run!
I ran the Color Run Today! It's an event that comes to some major U.S. cities, and they're making plans to become an international event! They partner with charities. The run that was in the city near me partnered with "Autism Speaks."
The Color Run is very new and has only existed since February. It is rapidly growing in popularity because it's just really freakin' fun.
The Color Run is a 5k run (3.1 miles) designed around the inspiring idea that life is better when filled with color. During the run, the Color Runner workers blast you with colored powder pigments. You start the race white, and end it colorfully dirty! You can run, walk, (and, to borrow their words) "crawl, wheel-- whatever it takes to get to the finish line."
I left the house at 5:30 am and drove into the city. It was easy to find because I'm a little familiar with that area. Easy to find, easy to park, and I just followed the other people to the event.
The first thing I noticed was everyone in white! It's the dress code. People had neon colored accents everywhere, like colorful shoes, headbands, sunglasses, and shoelaces. Some people even had bright florescent green, pink, and yellow socks! It was kind of weird to see everyone dressed in white, then having colorful accessories. Other people wore clown afro wigs and frilly tutus! And mustaches. People were having fun and dressing silly, which is cool. :)
Some girls were wearing running skirts!!! I recently learned that these exist and they're so awesome to run in. I'm asking for some for Christmas.
Lots of people were stretching and warming up. I walked around the "Color Run Village" which sounds cool but was just 5-6 tents selling athletic themed stuff like water bottles, shoes, and portrait-taking to commemorate the event. There was a food truck selling Greek food and I thought of lovely elizabeth21r.
Lots of music played! I don't listen to popular music, so it was all new to me. Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Shakira (her hips only speak truth btw), Jay-Z, the "Call Me Maybe" song, One Direction, Justin Bieber, and others. It was the first time I heard the 1D song "What makes you beautiful." I was also surprised to learn it was Bieber singing this one song -- I didn't expect him so sing so well, and sound so mature. This was my second time hearing "Call Me Maybe," and damn its catchiness. The 1D song reminded me that Harry Styles was in my dream the night before. WTF. ANYWAY.
It was all very loud and I was grateful for wearing earplugs. I have to say, if any people on the autism spectrum were there, they would be miserable and actually probably unable to be near the event due to the extremely loud speaker systems. It was painful even for me, and must be more so for people on the spectrum who are hypersensitive to sensory stimulation. JUST SAYIN.
At the starting gate, people were dancing. I was very near the front. There was an announcer man on a tower who was getting the crowd pumped. He also threw some free stuff but he only threw it in one direction and his arm (and aim, come to think of it) wasn't very good. I got hit in the face with a packet containing color pigment. It wasn't open. It still smarted, though.
I was shocked to hear him say that 15,000 people were there for the Color Run. That's more than double the the population of my town. O_O It was very, very crowded. I liked seeing all the people. Where I was standing, I was near this older middle-aged couple dancing excitedly. They had matching forearm tattoos that say, "Home is wherever I'm with you." Awwww! <3 I also saw a woman with a cappuccino. People watching is always so fun.
We stood there for an hour, and then it was time to run! We counted down from 10 to 1, and the start flag signaled us to go! The run was ok. I tried to go fast. I like being faster than people. The presence of other people spurs me to go faster. I finished in 43 minutes. The finish line was near the starting line, and I saw how people were still in line to exit the starting gate, 43 minutes later. I was so glad I got up front and was some of the first 100 or so to begin.
I was among the first people done. I got water and me and the other early finishers went to the "Color Stage" where the party happens. We were too early for the party yet, and we had to wait for more runners to finish before they began. During the run, I didn't get sprayed by very much color -- just some blue and orange -- but that was about to change.
The Color Stage and the Color Festival party happens in cycles, maybe every 15 minutes or so as more runners finish. That's when packets containing color pigment are tossed into the crowd, and everyone is dancing and throwing the color all at once. I was up front and center for the first Color Festival cycle.
It was really colorful. We opened the packets and flung color powder everywhere! It made a thick cloud that blocked out the sun. You could barely see the person next to you. I wore a bandanna over my face to protect my respiratory system, but others didn't. O_O I got PLASTERED with all sorts of colors. It was a little terrifying being in the center and front too -- very crowded. I can't imagine a concert or something, like with a mosh pit. I would probably faint or flee or both. The color pigments didn't taste good. XP I'm glad I had my bandanna.
Then they had dance parties! They brought up people on stage to dance. A lot of people just wriggled and stuff, but one was a professional! He was popping and locking, swiveling around on his joints as if he were liquid. A couple of times, he threw his head about sassily, and color powder was shaken from his hair and surrounded his head with a trail of dusty, cloudy color. It reminded me of Les Twins.
At that point I was out of the center and on the sides, watching. I stayed to watch two more Color Festival Cycles before deciding to go home.
Changing into clean clothes was an experience. I'd packed wet wipes, a large thermos of water, and a washcloth. I wiped myself all clean, as clean as I could, and changed into clean clothes in the parking lot. I somehow managed not to get much dust at all in my hair, which was what worried me the most because you can't just wipe the dust out of hair.
Then I drove home. I had a sneeze attack, and for about five minutes, my mucus was a murky purple. Well then. That's good though -- better to have purple nose snot in my nose than to have purple dust in the delicate alveoli air sacs of my lungs. You did good, mucus. And I'd even worn the bandanna over my mouth and nose, and it was still purple even then!
I got home and washed my clothes in the sink. .....The strongest of the pigments are not coming out! Good thing I wore clothes that it's ok if they're stained! Even my underwear had pigments, and I have no idea how.
WHAT A FUN RUN! It was the first time I'd participated in an organized running event. SO COLORFUL!!! It was like living a rainbow!
I took pictures and made a video. I also tried posting tweets on twitter the whole time but I had no internet access so it saved the tweets as unposted drafts. I shared some of them below because they're funny! Nuki Minsk?
Nuki minsk is playing (Nicki Minaj is playing)
It's the fashion t wear left gs under shorts whoa (It's the fashion to wear leggings under shorts whoa)
The int s just powder lol this girl just said I want some of that oh ho ho unwanted it?? xD (They just [threw] powder. LOL, this girl just said, "I want some of that." Oh ho ho... You want it? XD (I love statements with innuendo -- don't mind me.))
Lol lady how can you jog with your cappucchino
I think I just got green on me
Industry participated in two waves (I just participated in two waves)
The musc is so loud I feel my lungs vibrating (Yes, the music was really loud.)
I wannastarttt I wanna runnn
One minute
Theres a random guy hula hooping
There's this lady and her head is just all hot pink like she was dipped in hot pink chocolate
I'm such a mess
If I didn't have earplugs omg
Lol this guy dancing
I'm very orange
The entire crowd is singing one fried too (the entire crowd is singing One Direction)
I'm so dirty
Omgso this is what it feels like to live a rainbow
The announcer guy said it was better than unicorns but he is wrong. Nothing is better than invorns
And pictures!
My city says "good morning!" Look at all the people!
I look like I rolled in the dust from the bottom of an old box of chalk.
It doesn't wash out very easily! :D This is after I rubbed and wringed it out under the outdoor spicket.
VIDEO
The Color Run is very new and has only existed since February. It is rapidly growing in popularity because it's just really freakin' fun.
The Color Run is a 5k run (3.1 miles) designed around the inspiring idea that life is better when filled with color. During the run, the Color Runner workers blast you with colored powder pigments. You start the race white, and end it colorfully dirty! You can run, walk, (and, to borrow their words) "crawl, wheel-- whatever it takes to get to the finish line."
I left the house at 5:30 am and drove into the city. It was easy to find because I'm a little familiar with that area. Easy to find, easy to park, and I just followed the other people to the event.
The first thing I noticed was everyone in white! It's the dress code. People had neon colored accents everywhere, like colorful shoes, headbands, sunglasses, and shoelaces. Some people even had bright florescent green, pink, and yellow socks! It was kind of weird to see everyone dressed in white, then having colorful accessories. Other people wore clown afro wigs and frilly tutus! And mustaches. People were having fun and dressing silly, which is cool. :)
Some girls were wearing running skirts!!! I recently learned that these exist and they're so awesome to run in. I'm asking for some for Christmas.
Lots of people were stretching and warming up. I walked around the "Color Run Village" which sounds cool but was just 5-6 tents selling athletic themed stuff like water bottles, shoes, and portrait-taking to commemorate the event. There was a food truck selling Greek food and I thought of lovely elizabeth21r.
Lots of music played! I don't listen to popular music, so it was all new to me. Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Shakira (her hips only speak truth btw), Jay-Z, the "Call Me Maybe" song, One Direction, Justin Bieber, and others. It was the first time I heard the 1D song "What makes you beautiful." I was also surprised to learn it was Bieber singing this one song -- I didn't expect him so sing so well, and sound so mature. This was my second time hearing "Call Me Maybe," and damn its catchiness. The 1D song reminded me that Harry Styles was in my dream the night before. WTF. ANYWAY.
It was all very loud and I was grateful for wearing earplugs. I have to say, if any people on the autism spectrum were there, they would be miserable and actually probably unable to be near the event due to the extremely loud speaker systems. It was painful even for me, and must be more so for people on the spectrum who are hypersensitive to sensory stimulation. JUST SAYIN.
At the starting gate, people were dancing. I was very near the front. There was an announcer man on a tower who was getting the crowd pumped. He also threw some free stuff but he only threw it in one direction and his arm (and aim, come to think of it) wasn't very good. I got hit in the face with a packet containing color pigment. It wasn't open. It still smarted, though.
I was shocked to hear him say that 15,000 people were there for the Color Run. That's more than double the the population of my town. O_O It was very, very crowded. I liked seeing all the people. Where I was standing, I was near this older middle-aged couple dancing excitedly. They had matching forearm tattoos that say, "Home is wherever I'm with you." Awwww! <3 I also saw a woman with a cappuccino. People watching is always so fun.
We stood there for an hour, and then it was time to run! We counted down from 10 to 1, and the start flag signaled us to go! The run was ok. I tried to go fast. I like being faster than people. The presence of other people spurs me to go faster. I finished in 43 minutes. The finish line was near the starting line, and I saw how people were still in line to exit the starting gate, 43 minutes later. I was so glad I got up front and was some of the first 100 or so to begin.
I was among the first people done. I got water and me and the other early finishers went to the "Color Stage" where the party happens. We were too early for the party yet, and we had to wait for more runners to finish before they began. During the run, I didn't get sprayed by very much color -- just some blue and orange -- but that was about to change.
The Color Stage and the Color Festival party happens in cycles, maybe every 15 minutes or so as more runners finish. That's when packets containing color pigment are tossed into the crowd, and everyone is dancing and throwing the color all at once. I was up front and center for the first Color Festival cycle.
It was really colorful. We opened the packets and flung color powder everywhere! It made a thick cloud that blocked out the sun. You could barely see the person next to you. I wore a bandanna over my face to protect my respiratory system, but others didn't. O_O I got PLASTERED with all sorts of colors. It was a little terrifying being in the center and front too -- very crowded. I can't imagine a concert or something, like with a mosh pit. I would probably faint or flee or both. The color pigments didn't taste good. XP I'm glad I had my bandanna.
Then they had dance parties! They brought up people on stage to dance. A lot of people just wriggled and stuff, but one was a professional! He was popping and locking, swiveling around on his joints as if he were liquid. A couple of times, he threw his head about sassily, and color powder was shaken from his hair and surrounded his head with a trail of dusty, cloudy color. It reminded me of Les Twins.
At that point I was out of the center and on the sides, watching. I stayed to watch two more Color Festival Cycles before deciding to go home.
Changing into clean clothes was an experience. I'd packed wet wipes, a large thermos of water, and a washcloth. I wiped myself all clean, as clean as I could, and changed into clean clothes in the parking lot. I somehow managed not to get much dust at all in my hair, which was what worried me the most because you can't just wipe the dust out of hair.
Then I drove home. I had a sneeze attack, and for about five minutes, my mucus was a murky purple. Well then. That's good though -- better to have purple nose snot in my nose than to have purple dust in the delicate alveoli air sacs of my lungs. You did good, mucus. And I'd even worn the bandanna over my mouth and nose, and it was still purple even then!
I got home and washed my clothes in the sink. .....The strongest of the pigments are not coming out! Good thing I wore clothes that it's ok if they're stained! Even my underwear had pigments, and I have no idea how.
WHAT A FUN RUN! It was the first time I'd participated in an organized running event. SO COLORFUL!!! It was like living a rainbow!
I took pictures and made a video. I also tried posting tweets on twitter the whole time but I had no internet access so it saved the tweets as unposted drafts. I shared some of them below because they're funny! Nuki Minsk?
Nuki minsk is playing (Nicki Minaj is playing)
It's the fashion t wear left gs under shorts whoa (It's the fashion to wear leggings under shorts whoa)
The int s just powder lol this girl just said I want some of that oh ho ho unwanted it?? xD (They just [threw] powder. LOL, this girl just said, "I want some of that." Oh ho ho... You want it? XD (I love statements with innuendo -- don't mind me.))
Lol lady how can you jog with your cappucchino
I think I just got green on me
Industry participated in two waves (I just participated in two waves)
The musc is so loud I feel my lungs vibrating (Yes, the music was really loud.)
I wannastarttt I wanna runnn
One minute
Theres a random guy hula hooping
There's this lady and her head is just all hot pink like she was dipped in hot pink chocolate
I'm such a mess
If I didn't have earplugs omg
Lol this guy dancing
I'm very orange
The entire crowd is singing one fried too (the entire crowd is singing One Direction)
I'm so dirty
Omgso this is what it feels like to live a rainbow
The announcer guy said it was better than unicorns but he is wrong. Nothing is better than invorns
And pictures!
My city says "good morning!" Look at all the people!
I look like I rolled in the dust from the bottom of an old box of chalk.
It doesn't wash out very easily! :D This is after I rubbed and wringed it out under the outdoor spicket.
VIDEO
Click to view