Well, that was a different kind of experience!

This year, I finally got the chance to participate in The Color Run.  I’ve been wanting to do one of these 5K events – either The Color Run or Color Me Rad – for what felt like ages, and was so excited to see The Color Run come to Buffalo.  For those not acquainted with the concept, it’s basically an untimed 5K that you run while volunteers throw colored corn starch at you.  I realize that sounds nuts, but there are plenty of us out there who think it seems like a rocking good time.

The starting line was a whiteout.  Everyone wears white to the run, the better to show off their colors at the finish line.  I briefly considered wearing one of my white workout shirts but decided to wear the race shirt instead.  Normally I would never wear the race shirt to the race – I think it’s nerdy, bad luck, and you haven’t really earned the shirt until you cross the finish line – but this time I broke my usual rule because the white race shirt seemed intended as a color palette.  I wasn’t the only one – it seemed that at least 80% of the participants had the race tee on.  I was in good company.

We started out in waves every few minutes.  I left my watch at home, so I don’t know what time I finally crossed the start line, but the first part of the race took us along Buffalo’s beautiful waterfront area.  I enjoyed checking out the harbor and the boats, and at one point they had a giant bubble machine going, which was pretty hilarious.

At some point after a mile or so, I heard people start wondering aloud when the color would come up.  There was no color at the start line and we hadn’t hit a color station yet, so we were all still immaculate.  I had seen two of the color stations on my way to the start line, but didn’t know how much longer the course would wind around before it took us there.

We did finally make it into the color!  Blue was the first color station, and it was also where my spectators – hubby, Peanut and Nana – were waiting to see me run through.  I was so excited to be getting color that I ran through shouting “Woo-hooooooooo!” and ended up with blue teeth.  Live and learn.

After blue, we had a quick water stop and then made our way through yellow, purple, and pink.  For a little while, I ran with a sweet woman and her daughter-in-law.  The daughter-in-law was pregnant with her first baby, so we chatted about all things pregnancy and parenting.  I rarely talk to people during races, but this wasn’t really a race, I wasn’t looking to set any records, and it was impossible to run fast anyway – there were legions of walkers.

I lost my running buddies somewhere after the pink color and decided to head for the finish line instead of hanging around on the course any longer.  I spotted hubby and Peanut at the finish line before they saw me; hubby later told me they weren’t expecting me for another ten minutes or so.  I guess I was ready for the finish line party!

I’ve been attacked by a rainbow!

The Color Run was a fantastic experience.  I had so much fun taking my time around the course, chatting with other runners, and dancing through the color stations while the volunteers sprayed color at us all.  (There were a few “serious” runners who were complaining about all the walkers but I say, who cares?  There were no timing chips and this isn’t exactly the Olympic trials.  What does it matter if the walkers don’t stay to the right?  We’re all just out to have fun with this silly run.)

Peanut was adorably concerned about me after the run.  She couldn’t understand why Regular Mommy had turned into Rainbow Mommy and thought there must be something wrong with me.  As we walked back to the car she stared at me with a worried expression and kept reassuring me, “It’s okay, Mommy.  It’s okay.”  Even later that day, when I went to get her from her nap, she told me “It’s okay, Mommy got colorful.”  So cute.  I have a feeling she’s going to remember The Color Run… but maybe not quite as fondly as I do.

Final time: AWESOME.  Two blue thumbs up.

Have you ever done a color run?  Did you also forget to close your mouth and end up with blue teeth?