Day 55: I Make It Rain Color--Part One

This past Saturday, March 31, 2012, several close friends and I ventured to downtown Atlanta to participate in an extraordinary event called The Color Run.

So what is The Color Run exactly? Here is a detailed explanation from TheColorRun.com:

"The Color Run is a one of a kind experience that is less about speed and more about enjoying a color crazy day with your friends and family. Our events, are all about people of all different speeds, ages, shapes, and sizes toeing the start line. Whether you are a casual morning mall walker or an Olympic athlete, the 3 miles of the Color Run course will be the most enjoyable real estate you’ve traveled in a very long time.

The Color Run pretty much has 2 simple rules: 1. White shirts (any mostly white t-shirt will work great) mandatory at the start line. 2. Color plastered everything at the finish! Runner/walkers begin the 5k at the start line like a brand new pristine coloring book, they end looking like they fell into a Willy Wonka, a tie-dyed vat of colored goodness.

Each kilometer of the event is associated with a designated color. 1k is yellow, 2k is blue, 3k is green, 4k is pink, and the 5k finish is a “Color Extravaganza.”  As the runners/walkers hit the Kilometer 'Color Run Zones', they will be blitzed by our volunteers, sponsors, and staff with color. The color is a special “elf made” recipe of magical color dust. All products are 100% natural and safe. You can eat the stuff if you’d like (we have tried it and don’t suggest it, it is surprisingly high in calories and leaves a chalky aftertaste). 

Our finish line is the best post-5k party on the planet. After the finish, participants are encouraged to stick around, get down, and see exactly how much color their individual person can contain. We will have bands, food, color, and festivities that will make your color powdered head spin."

Pretty awesome huh?

And not only was this 5k full of fun and excitement, but the race partnered up with a local charitable organization for a good cause. All proceeds from The Color Run will be benefiting Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Among 10,000 runners/walkers, my 'Neature Walkers' team and I were decked out in our white tube socks, white t-shirts, white sunglasses and white bandanas to make it rain color all over mid-town Atlanta. And let me tell you, we most certainly did!

This was an incredible experience, and I'm really excited to share it with you. For the next few blog posts, I will be dedicating my topics to The Color Run. From colorful before/after photos to personal experiences from myself and fellow 5kers, I want to give you an in-depth look 'The Happiest 5K on the Planet.'

XoXo,
DJH